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Netflix Sports? Maybe
Netflix Live Sports? It's Possible
January 4, 2022
It's safe to say that the streaming wars aren't going away any time soon. The one biggest area of growth opportunity appears to be sports, and that may be a key focus area for Netflix in 2022 and beyond.
Streamer's Spotlight: Could Netflix Be The Next Big Sports Streamer?
This week, Bloomberg
about what might happen in the 2022 streaming market. Many of its predictions are continuations on a trend (such as talent making big money from streaming service content). But one prediction that most got our attention is the suggestion that Netflix will get into sports streaming. This could be a big move for the leader in streaming.
1. Where Is Netflix's Opportunity in Sports Streaming?
Netflix is already in just about every American home in one way or another. About
had Netflix as of 2020. That's a huge market share that's effectively larger than any other streaming service. Most product or service providers could only dream of having that kind of reach. It also makes Netflix a powerhouse when it comes to negotiating contracts.
That's where the company's opportunity for sports streaming comes in. If you've been following the market, sports streaming is a bit fractured right now. Most live TV streaming providers have been dropping major sports packages because rights providers have been asking for an increasingly large amount of money to offer sports streaming. As it stands, DirecTV Stream and FuboTV have the most complete sports streaming packages, and both are fairly pricey comparatively speaking.
That's where Netflix could stand to disrupt the market. With its market share, the company could negotiate lower carriage rates than competitors, allowing it to sneak into the sports streaming market with a critical pricing advantage.
2. Could It Happen?
That's the biggest question mark about this prediction. Netflix is obviously not going to provide any insight into its plans, and publicly-traded companies don't make a habit of announcing what they *might* do. Not unless they want to get sued for making false claims to pump up their stock price. That being the case, we won't know if Netflix plans to get into sports streaming until it happens.
Nevertheless, Netflix is a big-brained company. There's no way the concept hasn't already been part of some discussions, and most likely some serious discussions.
3. How Would Sports Change Netflix Pricing?
If Netflix did start offering live or even on-demand sports, there would be a cost to that. A big one, actually, since sports providers tend to charge big bucks for sports streaming content. Netflix would likely need to add a pricing tier for those who want sports, as the price increase would be more significant. Depending on the type of deal, it could even double the price of a regular Netflix subscription (or more).
This Week's Streaming Guide
1. Move Over Judge Judy. Here Comes Judge... Steve Harvey?
Launching on ABC TODAY (Jan. 4) at 8 PM EST, Judge Steve Harvey lays down the arbitration law. -
2. 'FBI: Most Wanted' Returns from Hiatus
Can you help spot the FBI's most wanted? Watch 'FBI: Most Wanted' today (Jan 4) on CBS at 10 PM EST. -
3. Top-Rated 'Wonder Years' Remake Returns from Hiatus
The new remake of 'The Wonder Years' returns from hiatus this Wednesday (Jan. 5) on ABC at 8:30 PM EST. -
4. BattleBots Returns to Discovery Channel
After a long hiatus, BattleBots is returning to Discovery Channel. Stream live at 8 PM EST, only on Discovery Channel, or watch on-demand on Discovery+. -
News and Industry Developments
1. Here's What's Coming to Disney+ in January
'Eternals' is coming, among other content. -
2. YouTube TV Lost More Sports Channels
Get the full list of what was dropped last week. -
3. Here's Everything Coming to Prime Video in January
New year, new slate of hit TV shows, movies, and documentaries. -
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