Nielsen ratings and Netflix's official announcements

Netflix Pays $150M for NFL Christmas Games, Attracting 65 Million Viewers with Beyoncé Halftime Show

Dec 27, 2024, 12:51 AM

Netflix's foray into live sports broadcasting reached a new milestone on Christmas Day, as the streaming platform aired two NFL games, setting records for the most-streamed NFL games in U.S. history. The Baltimore Ravens' 31-2 victory over the Houston Texans averaged 24.3 million viewers, while the Kansas City Chiefs' 29-10 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers averaged 24.1 million, according to early viewer figures from Nielsen. The total unduplicated audience for the games reached nearly 65 million U.S. viewers. The Ravens-Texans game peaked during Beyoncé's halftime performance, which averaged over 27 million viewers. Netflix paid $150 million for the exclusive rights to these games, marking the first year of a three-season partnership between Netflix and the NFL, highlighting the growing trend of live sports on streaming platforms.