Netflix’s live entertainment juggernaut adds Beyoncé
Written by laserteam on November 18, 2024
(The Verge) – Netflix is trying to carve a slice of the live entertainment market, and it’s enlisting help from Beyoncé. The Houston-born singer will perform in her hometown on December 25th, headlining the halftime show for the Texans-Ravens NFL matchup as part of Netflix’s Christmas Gameday live show.
Beyoncé’s performance will take place in the second of two NFL games that Netflix is streaming on Christmas Day, the first being between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The star is set to perform songs from Cowboy Carter live for the first time and “is expected to bring along some special guests” that are featured on the album, according to Netflix’s announcement. The games mark Netflix’s NFL streaming debut after securing a three-year deal in May that includes “at least one holiday game each year” in 2025 and 2026.
The streaming giant is investing heavily to expand into live sports and major events — entertainment industries that attract some of the largest audiences and attention from advertisers. Its latest announcement comes two days after Netflix streamed a live boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul that attracted 65 million viewers. If we’re comparing it with 2023 TV viewership, that would place the fight second only to the 115 million people who watched the Super Bowl telecast last year. For some, the Tyson vs Paul match was disrupted by buffering and connectivity issues that raised questions about the streamer’s capability to host live event coverage in the future.
According to Bloomberg, Netflix is expected to gain 10 million viewers in its fourth quarter this year due to a combination of live sports and the upcoming second season of Squid Game, which will air on December 26th. Netflix has also secured the rights to broadcast WWE’s headline weekly show, Monday Night Raw, starting January 6th, 2025, taking the show off linear television after 22 years.
