The NFL’s pivot to a pair of Christmas games this year, after saying they wouldn’t do it, will apparently bring a new broadcast partner to the table.
John Ourand of Puck writes this: “[I]t looks like Netflix will wind up carrying the two NFL games scheduled for December 25, per a bevy of sources.” Ourand adds that “this could all fall apart” and “nothing has been signed yet” and “the two sides still have to clear some hurdles before any deal is announced.”
Ourand also points to the Netflix negotiations as the reason for the delay in the schedule release. It was, we’re told, supposed to happen on May 9. It’s now happening on May 15.
Whether the Netflix deal will be announced, or whether the games will carry a “TBD” determination, is (you guessed it) TBD.
Prior reports indicated that the NFL wants at least $50 million — and ideally as much as $100 million — for each of the Christmas games. For Netflix, capturing the captive Christmas audience would be a major coup.
Boomer Esiason, fresh from the CBS bubble, first floated the Netflix angle on Wednesday.