At the very moment when Jake Paul and Mike Tyson are all set to box it out this Friday, Netflix is launching its most aggressive push into live sports yet. A streaming giant that has gradually become sports obsessed, Netflix is opening the much-awaited live boxing match to all of its 280 million subscribers absolutely free of charge. It may set a precedent for streaming live sporting events and shape the future of sports on Netflix.
A Historic Fight with a Global Appeal
The fight with Jake Paul against Mike Tyson is more than a boxing bout-it is the grand experiment of Netflix in the realm of live sport events. It will be streamed live from AT&T Stadium and watched by millions of its subscribers across the globe, thus sprinkling excitement as this streaming giant breaks the mold of entertainment offers. While Netflix will say little on its expected view counts, since the postponement post Tyson’s medical emergency, much is at stake in terms of what this will mean for their future in live sports.
The event may set a history for viewership record breaches, believes JP Morgan Chase analyst Doug Anmuth. “We believe the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight could be the most watched boxing match ever,” Anmuth said. “Given ease of access and Netflix’s large global subscriber base, it should attract Ad Tier subs, viewers, and dollars.”
While catching up to the viewership of some historic matches such as Muhammad Ali’s may be a tad exaggerated, 4.6 million viewers watching the 2015 Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight are well within its reach. For Netflix, it could be that moment which heralds its hunt for a broader sports streaming future.
Sports Streaming on Live Is Continuously Influxing in Netflix
It’s going to carry this very high-profile boxing event, however. Netflix has been slowly building its sports offerings, complementing its breakout documentaries with live sports programming. For instance, the docu-series Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson about the fight fast became one of the platform’s most-watched titles.
Last November, Netflix put on the Netflix Cup, pairing Formula 1 drivers with PGA golfers, committing to diversify live sport. It had a high-profile start to the year, broadcasting an exhibition tennis match between Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz; it seamlessly integrated commercials for the upcoming documentaries.
With these investments, Netflix is quickly becoming the powerhouse in sports entertainment. It’s not just about boxing; this is part of a much grander strategy that might eventually give way to more live sports events down the line, including high-profile NFL and WWE partnerships.
NFL and WWE: The Next Frontier for Netflix
But it’s not limited to big sports like the NFL and WWE. Having thrown its support to the punched-up Quarterback and Receiver with a Christmas Day NFL doubleheader that Netflix agreed to for broadcast rights, the service has further secured its footprint in sports. It will also expand its reach into more categories for WWE Raw viewership, now broadcasting in select areas starting January 5. The deal aggregates worldwide streaming rights for all WWE events, with exclusions in the U.S., which will make significant, live WWE events available to Netflix for the first time, including WrestleMania and SummerSlam.
According to media consultant Patrick Crakes, expansion in live sports of Netflix is “dry run” for far much bigger things ahead. “It may end up as more than who watches the NFL games for a period of time,” Crakes said. “Others are handling production; what they have to worry about is the operational flow. They know what they’re doing.”.
The internet technology company Netflix has already embarked on an effort to no longer just be a destination for on-demand content but one that also starts shaping the future of live sports streaming.
What’s at stake for Netflix’s sport future?
A success like the proposed Netflix event for Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson can be just what the doctor ordered for the company’s long-term in-play strategy if the event will be a big hit, accompanying viewership, and becomes a nodicum for future events. It will, at the very least, improve the firm’s standing in an increasingly crowded landscape for live sports streaming. The platform’s growing portfolio of sports content—WWE, and potentially NFL offerings down the line—may forever change the face of sports on streaming services.
So, with Netflix now dipping its toes into the water regarding live sports, much is expected. The stakes are all the more considerable, from meeting the immediate success of the Paul-Tyson bout to meeting the long-term needs of the viability of Netflix in the live sports space.
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