Netflix will have one of its biggest days on Wednesday since the site launched in 1998 when it broadcasts two NFL games for the first time.

“NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix” begins with a two-hour pregame show at 11 a.m., before Pittsburgh hosts Kansas City. Baltimore faces Houston in game two.

The streaming giant agreed in May to a three-year deal to broadcast Christmas Day games.

Where will the games be available?

Netflix’s 282.3 million subscribers in more than 190 countries will be able to stream the games, marking the first time any media outlet has distributed an NFL game globally. Netflix will offer the games in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and German.

The games will also be broadcast on CBS affiliates in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Houston. NFL policy states that games broadcast on cable or streamed exclusively must also be broadcast on an over-the-air station in competing teams’ markets. It will also be available on mobile devices in the United States for those with NFL+.

Why is the NFL offering Christmas Day games on a streaming platform?

The main reason is money. The league is getting $150 million from Netflix for this season’s two games. It also continues the NFL’s move toward streaming: Thursday night games are in their third season on Amazon Prime Video, and the “Sunday Ticket” package moved to YouTube TV last year.

But Christmas is on a Wednesday, when games are not usually played.

True, but the league wasn’t about to give up on Christmas after seeing the ratings. Last year’s three games averaged 28.68 million viewers. The early afternoon game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Chiefs led the way, averaging 29.48 million.

The Chiefs, Steelers, Ravens and Texans played Saturday, giving them the same turnaround they would have if they played Sunday and then Thursday.

What is at stake for the teams playing?

All four have clinched a playoff spot in the AFC, but seeding remains up for grabs.

Kansas City (14-1) can clinch the top spot — which would mean a first-round bye and a field throughout the playoffs — with a win against the Steelers. Pittsburgh and Baltimore are tied atop the AFC North at 10-5, with the Steelers holding the tiebreaker due to a better conference record.

Houston (9-6) won the AFC South and holds the fourth seed.

Has Netflix fixed its streaming issues related to the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight?

Netflix hopes so. Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vice president of nonfiction and sports, said the system was stress-tested and more during the Nov. 14 fight, and Internet service providers have said they were also overwhelmed by the buildup that occurred before and during the fight. .

The fight peaked at 65 million concurrent streams, including 38 million concurrent streams in the United States. According to the website Down Detector, nearly 85,000 viewers reported outages or streaming issues before and during the fight.

Could there be the same number of matches streamed as during the fight?

Possible? Yes. Likely? No.

The largest audience for an exclusive NFL game streaming was 23 million on Peacock for last season’s AFC wild-card game between the Dolphins and Miami Chiefs.

Nielsen will measure audiences for Christmas Day matches, with the first figures expected late Thursday afternoon.

When could there be an increase in demand on Wednesday?

This will likely beat kickoff for both games, but especially around 5:45 p.m. EST. It would be almost halftime of the Ravens-Texans game and the time when Beyoncé would perform.

What other celebrities will appear?

Mariah Carey will start the day with a recorded performance of “All I Want for Christmas is You.”

It’s unclear if Taylor Swift will make the trip to Pittsburgh to see her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Swift has been spending time in Kansas City since finishing her Eras tour two weeks ago.

How many Christmas games will Netflix have over the next two seasons?

The NFL will host at least two games on December 25 in 2025 and 2026, and Netflix is ​​expected to host at least one every year. Amazon Prime Video will host a nightly game with Christmas on a Thursday next year.

Is Netflix interested in other sports?

Netflix’s global partnership with World Wrestling Entertainment will begin on January 6 when “Monday Night Raw” moves to the streaming service.

Netflix secured U.S. rights to the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Friday.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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