How Netflix's Expansion Into Sports Content is Impacting the Industry

As the market leader in film and television streaming, Netflix has begun to make bold moves to capitalize on the lucrative sports streaming sector. In the past year, the streamer has signed valuable deals with major sports leagues to secure exclusive broadcasting rights, stream live sporting events, and produce behind-the-scenes sports documentaries. With Netflix's strategy already proving to have major financial benefits for the leagues, the next five years could see a monumental shift in sports broadcasting.

The Home Entertainment Boom

As more people are choosing to stay at home to consume media, Netflix's subscription rates have continued their steady rise. This additional revenue has helped them branch out into new sectors, with subscribers now able to access mobile video games, live stream global events, and engage with interactive specials.

The growing home entertainment market has had a rippling effect in other sectors, too. Casino fans now have access to a suite of slots and games such as bingo through their mobile devices, with far more variety in titles than is commonly found at in-person casinos. In music, streaming figures are exploding to unprecedented heights, while 40% of sports broadcasting is now consumed online. This has put Netflix in an optimal position to cater to these changing viewing habits.

The WWE RAW Deal

In January 2025, Netflix's long-awaited broadcasting of WWE's Monday Night RAW is set to debut. The first-of-its-kind deal will see the event air every Monday for 52 weeks over the year, including its live international shows. Its licensing deals will have the program broadcast in major territories such as the US, Canada, the UK, and Latin America.

The deal marks the first time that the show will stream online in its 31-year history. While the deal will help bring WWE's large fan base to Netflix, it will also expose the league to a large portion of the streamer's 280 million subscribers. Depending on its success, it could be the beginning of many more exclusive broadcasting deals with international sporting organizations.

Live-Streaming Sports Events

Netflix has been experimenting with live sports coverage for two years now. Its first major foray was The Netflix Cup, which paired Formula 1 drivers with PGA Tour golfers in a unique eight-hole tournament. Recently, the streamer also hosted the live broadcast of the highly anticipated boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.

This Christmas, Netflix will air two highly anticipated NFL games, with the Kansas City Chiefs facing the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens against the Texans. The streamer's deal with the NFL will cover the next three years, and, though it's still early days, analysts can't help but speculate about whether this is an early sign of a permanent partnership deal in the future.

Netflix's Sports Docuseries

In 2019, Netflix partnered with Formula 1 to create its behind-the-scenes docuseries, Drive to Survive. The popularity of the show has had a staggering impact on the sport's popularity. A 2022 poll discovered that 50% of the sport's viewers became fans as a result of the show, and its US popularity will see the nation's first F1 team, Cadillac F1, join the grid in 2026.

The success of the show has seen the company invest in a string of other sports docuseries since, including the PGA Tour-focused Full Swing, tennis Grand Slam series Break Point, and the NFL's Receiver. The company also produced three behind-the-scenes looks at Olympians for the 2024 Paris Games in partnership with the IOC.

These deals indicate the growing trust of major sporting codes in the network's ability to reach global audiences, as well as provide quality entertainment for sports fans. As can be witnessed in the success of PGA golf and Formula 1 following the Netflix series, the partnerships have mutual financial benefits for the leagues and the streamer.

As 2025 is set to bring in a new era for online sports broadcasting, Netflix has positioned itself as a strong global player in the market. By leveraging its widespread reach and resources, the company's approach has proven to increase the marketability of sports in the digital age while offering fans never-before-seen insights.