The NFL did something different with its Christmas slate this year, partnering with Netflix to stream a pair of unusually scheduled games on Wednesday. They announced the results a day later.
Netflix reported an average of 24 million viewers for its games between the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers, then the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. In total, it claimed that 65 million viewers tuned in for at least part of the festivities.
These games are the two most-streamed NFL games in American history, though they are only rivaled by Amazon’s regular-season “Thursday Night Football” games.
Netflix NFL Christmas Game Day was a record-breaking day, reaching 65 million US viewers according to Nielsen!
With an average of more than 24 million viewers per game, the Chiefs-Steelers and Ravens-Texans are now the two most-streamed NFL games in US history.… pic.twitter.com/m3CVRv41sq
— Netflix (@netflix) December 26, 2024
For reference, last year’s NFL Christmas games, which were held on Mondays, drew an average of 29 million viewers. in three games on CBS, Fox and ABC.
The NFL also reported some facts from Netflix about its first game on Wednesday:
🚨#NFLOnNetflix Statistics update🚨
– More than 200 countries contacted at some point during Chiefs vs. Steelers.
– Chiefs vs. Steelers is already the second most popular live title on Netflix of all time.
– About 1/3 of Netflix’s global competitors are watching Chiefs vs. Steelers
– Netflix…
— NFL Media (@NFLMedia) December 25, 2024
Both games had to post those numbers due to large deficits for most of the game. Chiefs Never trailed in a 29-10 win over the Steelers.While the Ravens A 31-2 outscored Texas in every phase of the game..
Netflix tried to generate wider interest in the second game with a Beyoncé halftime concert with production values you’d normally only see at a Super Bowl halftime show. It’s unclear how big the number was when the star hit the stage at Houston’s NRG Stadium.
The NFL is trying to steal Christmas, and so far succeeding.
As expected, the NFL numbers significantly higher than the NBA, the previous owners of Christmas in the sports holiday calendar.
The NFL has been trying to take over this ownership since 2020, and the result is a clear win in average viewership. Last year’s NBA slate drew just 2.85 million viewers compared to the NFL’s 29 million.
This year was more successful. 84% increase to 5.25 million over five games.The league’s highest number in five years (read: since the NFL started doing it). Still, it’s hard to deny that the NFL is at least in the “Grinch’s sleigh loaded with presents” stage of stealing Christmas from the NBA.
It’s also worth noting how hard the NFL had to work for Christmas Wednesday this year, as it included four teams to give them just four days of rest before taking the field again. Still, three games in 11 days is a lot to ask, but the NFL is clearly willing to do whatever it takes to turn Christmas into just another Thanksgiving, where its games are played as usual. Cooked into a family schedule.
