Netflix's Christmas Day NFL Games Set a Streaming Record

Key Takeaways

• Netflix said it set a streaming record with its Christmas Day broadcasts of two National Football League (NFL) games. 
• The streaming giant said the two games had an average of 24 million viewers, making them the most-streamed NFL games in history.
• A performance by music star Beyoncé during the halftime of the second game drew over 27 million viewers. 
• This was the first year of a three-year agreement between Netflix and the NFL to have the company stream Christmas Day games.

It was a record-setting Christmas Day for Netflix (NFLX).

The company reported that its first foray into broadcasting National Football League (NFL) games live set a streaming record.

Netflix said the games on Dec. 25, which began with the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers followed by a match between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans, were the two most-streamed games in the league’s history, with an average audience of 24 million viewers.

The ratings also got a boost from a performance by music star Beyoncé during the halftime of the second game, drawing over 27 million viewers, according to Nielsen. 

Hans Schroeder, NFL executive vice president of media distribution, said the league was “thrilled” with the results, calling it “a historic day for the NFL.”

This was the first year of a three-year deal for Netflix to stream NFL games on Christmas Day. The streaming giant, known for its original programming and movies, is expanding its coverage of live sports events, which included last month’s boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.

Netflix shares hit an all-time high earlier this month, and while they were about 2% lower in intraday trading Friday, they have nearly doubled in value so far this year.

Do you have a news tip for Investopedia reporters? Please email us at tips@investopedia.com