Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria discussed the company’s strategy for live sports during an interview in Melbourne, where the platform hosted its first-ever regular-season NFL game in Australia. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 in that matchup, which Netflix held exclusive global rights to broadcast.
Bajaria emphasized that Netflix’s live sports approach centers on identifying games and tournaments that can be positioned as unmissable cultural events rather than routine programming. She described this event concept as something that generates buzz, conversation, and appointment-viewing behavior. Examples she cited included the Christmas Day NFL game featuring a Beyoncé halftime performance, international baseball tournaments, and concert broadcasts. This strategy suggests that acquiring comprehensive NFL game packages similar to NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” may not align with Netflix’s objectives, a position that echoes earlier statements from Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos.
Netflix is currently airing five NFL games during the 2026-27 season, including the Australia game, a Thanksgiving Eve matchup, two Christmas Day contests, and a Week 18 game with playoff implications. Bajaria indicated potential interest in acquiring international game packages if the NFL made such offerings available, noting Netflix’s substantial global audience. She also confirmed the company’s interest in bidding on FIFA Men’s World Cup rights for 2030 and 2034, building on Netflix’s existing arrangements for the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031.
Bajaria suggested Netflix remains open to partnerships involving content ingestion from other media companies, citing an arrangement with France’s TF1 Group as a test model. She noted existing collaborations with NBCUniversal that could facilitate similar arrangements. However, Bajaria dismissed suggestions that Netflix would fundamentally alter its business model to compete with short-form video platforms, reaffirming the company’s commitment to television series and films as its primary focus.
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