Report: Netflix could aim for Sunday afternoon NFL broadcast package

Netflix reportedly wants to get in on the regular NFL Sunday slate, according to John Ourand of Puck. The streaming service wants to put in a bid for Sunday afternoon games.

This would replace one of CBS or FOX in the afternoon, which has been the mainstay for three decades, give or take. FOX got the NFC package from CBS in 1994 while CBS got the AFC package from NBC in 1998.

The NFL’s current broadcast deal runs through 2033, but the league has the right to pull the plug on deals four years early, as Mike Florio pointed out. 

So if you do the math, Netflix could circle 2029 as the year to get in on the broadcasting fun.

It’s unknown what a potential Netflix slate would look like at this time. CBS and FOX both broadcast games in the 1:00 and 4:00 to 4:25 p.m. ET windows. NBC handles Sunday Night Football while ABC/ESPN does Monday Night Football and Thursday nights belong to Amazon.

The Netflix and NFL experiment began this season over Christmas as the streaming service provided coverage of the holiday doubleheader.

To many’s surprise, there were few issues with the stream, production, presentation and broadcasters. In fact, the games drew huge ratings.

The figures were released for the two games, as well as Beyonce’s halftime show during the nightcap.

The Baltimore Ravens’ win over the Houston Texans drew the highest ratings, averaging 24.3 million viewers. That number peaked at 27 million during Beyonce’s halftime show, which also featured cameos from Shaboozey, Post Malone and her daughter, Blue Ivy.

Ravens vs. Texans came out just ahead of the first game of the day. The Kansas City Chiefs’ victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers averaged 24.1 million viewers as Netflix kicked off its day of football. It resulted in the most-streamed games in NFL history, sealing a victory in the $150 million venture.

Both games, however, drew fewer viewers than last year’s Christmas slate. All three games were between 27.6 million and 29.2 million viewers.

Netflix put together an impressive cast of analysts and announcers for its doubleheader. Ian Eagle, JJ Watt and Nate Burleson called the first game while Noah Eagle and Greg Olsen had the second. In the studio, notable names such as Kay Adams, Robert Griffin III, Drew Brees, Mina Kimes and Manti Te’o were part of the coverage.