Netflix explains its sports broadcasting strategy in Australia — CNBC — CNBC Top News
Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria, speaking from Melbourne, Australia, said the service will select games and tournaments for live sports broadcasts that can be turned into major cultural events. Such broadcasts must stand out to audiences, create a sense that they are must-watch viewing and become a topic of discussion, CNBC reports.
Bajaria spoke from Melbourne, where the first regular-season NFL game in Australia’s history took place. Netflix held the global broadcasting rights to the game, and the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Rams 27-7.
Interest in international NFL games
Netflix will show five NFL games during the 2026-2027 season: the game in Australia, the first-ever game on the day before Thanksgiving, two games on Christmas and a Week 18 matchup. The final game will be guaranteed to matter for determining a playoff participant or team seeding.
According to Bajaria, Netflix could be interested in a package of international NFL games if the league offers such rights. The NFL currently does not sell a separate package of international games. Nine international games will take place this year, with 10 scheduled for next season.
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The NFL may review media rights for games after the 2029-2030 season, when it will have the right to opt out of its current agreement. League Commissioner Roger Goodell told CNBC that the NFL will consider revising its existing game packages.
Bajaria also confirmed Netflix’s potential interest in bidding for broadcasting rights to the 2030 and 2034 men’s FIFA World Cups. The streaming service already holds rights to the 2027 and 2031 Women’s World Cups in the United States and Canada.
Partnerships with streaming services
Netflix may also cooperate with other media companies to integrate their content onto its own platform. Bajaria described the partnership with France’s TF1 Group as a test of this approach. She also mentioned NBCUniversal, with which Netflix has several forms of cooperation, including an exclusive licensing agreement for Universal feature films.
At the same time, Netflix does not plan to change its core business model in response to competition from YouTube and short-video services. According to Nielsen data for July, YouTube accounted for 14.2% of streaming video viewing, while Netflix ranked second with 7.8%. Bajaria emphasized that series and films will remain the foundation of the platform.
