Netflix’s Bold Play to Turn NFL Games into Unforgettable Must-Watch Events—Could Christmas Become Just the Beginning?

Here we go—NFL and Netflix are cozied up tighter than a glove on a Sunday afternoon, and it’s shaping up to be one heck of a partnership. You know, the league’s been quietly, then not-so-quietly, peeling games away from the usual TV giants, tossing them into the streaming ring where Netflix is not just sitting on the sidelines but clearly itching for more action. They’re already the digital home for those Christmas Day clashes, but Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos isn’t just content with that holiday spotlight. He’s been chatting up Roger Goodell on the hush-hush about transforming NFL games into must-see, standalone events that pop off differently from your average Sunday kickoff. Think global games, Friday and Saturday nights, quirky holiday matchups—basically any slot that can pull a crowd and pump up revenue, Netflix is down to play ball. And let’s be honest, that halftime Beyoncé gig last Christmas? A clever peek at how Netflix can pull non-traditional fans into the fold. Given the league’s sudden flip-flop to guarantee three Christmas games a year—regardless of the weekday—and Netflix’s deep pockets backing them, we’re probably on the cusp of a streaming football revolution by 2026. Hang on tight, it’s going to be a wild ride. LEARN MORE

With the NFL continuing to look for opportunities to peel off games from its traditional broadcast partners and sell them to streaming services, Netflix is making clear that it is interested in more.Alex Sherman of CNBC said on The Town podcast that Sarandos is interested in the types of one-off games that Netflix can make stand apart from the rest.At Christmas of 2023, the NFL was claiming it wouldn’t play Christmas games in years when Christmas fell on a Tuesday or Wednesday. And then a few months later, the NFL announced that it would play two Christmas games in 2024, even though Christmas fell on a Wednesday. And now the NFL says it will always play three games a year on Christmas, no matter what day of the week it falls on. Why? Because the Netflix money justifies it.“I spoke to Ted Sarandos. He admitted to me, like, ‘Yeah, I talked to Roger Goodell on the side about adding even more games beyond our two Christmas games. We just need to figure out a way to eventize these games,’” Sherman said, via AwfulAnnouncing.com.Netflix has already become the home of two NFL Christmas games, and Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has spoken with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about how the world’s biggest subscription streaming platform and the world’s most lucrative sports league can continue to do business.

What types of games would Netflix “eventize”? It wouldn’t be the typical Sunday fare, which is already locked up by the league’s traditional broadcast partners. But as the league has shown in recent years, it’s capable of finding plenty of standalone windows: International games, Friday games, Saturday games, holiday games. The league will play on any day that it can generate a significant audience and significant revenue, and Netflix is eager to be a partner in that. Netflix can also help the NFL by doing more to bring in additional viewers: At Christmas last year, Netflix produced a halftime show that brought in Beyoncé fans who wouldn’t otherwise have watched.So don’t be surprised if, during the 2026 season, Netflix and the NFL have gone beyond Christmas and found more games that they can turn into profitable events.