The NFL's dominance on Christmas Day was undeniable in 2024, with a record 65 million US viewers tuning in for its two Christmas Day games streamed on Netflix. The games not only outperformed expectations but also surpassed the NBA's holiday slate, despite the latter's surge in viewership.

Netflix set a new benchmark, with the Ravens' 31-2 thrashing of the Texans drawing an average of 24.3 million viewers, while Kansas City's 29-10 victory over Pittsburgh garnered 24.1 million. These numbers made the two NFL matchups the most-watched in US history for a Christmas Day broadcast, surpassing the 23 million viewers of last year's AFC wild-card game.

For context, the NBA had its holiday milestones, with five games drawing an average of 5.25 million viewers. However, the NFL's Christmas debut on Netflix was a clear standout. "I love the NFL," LeBron James said during a postgame interview. "But Christmas is our day." James' words, however, couldn't overshadow the record-breaking success of the NFL's Christmas offerings.

NFL executives, like Hans Schroeder, took James' remarks in stride while celebrating the success of the Netflix partnership. "The numbers speak for themselves," Schroeder said. "LeBron can have his view, and I'm sure more people will look at that because of this, but we're focused on the NFL, and we're thrilled with the results."

The NFL's influence on Christmas is now firmly established. In recent years, Christmas Day has evolved from being an NBA-exclusive event into a significant part of the NFL's seasonal calendar. Netflix's streaming capabilities allowed for broader access and a more personalised viewing experience, with 27 million people tuning in for Beyoncé's halftime show, contributing to the peak viewership of the Ravens-Texans game.

While global viewership numbers are still being tallied, it's expected that both Christmas games will exceed 30 million once final data is available. The NFL's Christmas Day broadcast also marked its first season under a three-year deal with Netflix, and the numbers so far have been nothing short of historic. "Everything Netflix put into the entire day, from the quality of the stream, the production and the graphics, made it feel like such a special Christmas Day," Schroeder said.

While the NFL made waves, the NBA's Christmas Day viewership also soared, with all five of its games seeing an increase over last year. The Lakers-Warriors matchup—featuring NBA stars LeBron James and Stephen Curry—became the most-watched NBA regular-season game in five years, averaging 7.76 million viewers. "Ratings are down a bit at the beginning of the season," said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. "But cable television viewership is down double digits, so far this year versus last year. You know, we're almost at the inflection point where people are watching more programming on streaming than they are on traditional television."

This shift to streaming reflects a wider trend in sports consumption, one that both leagues are keenly aware of as they navigate the changing landscape. The NBA has embraced streaming, and its new TV deals, starting next season, will broadcast every game on a streaming service, increasing its regular-season offerings. Yet, for now, the NFL's Christmas Day success with Netflix takes the spotlight.

Both leagues showed impressive resilience in the face of a fiercely competitive sports calendar, but this year, it was clear that the NFL and Netflix had firmly etched their place as a Christmas Day powerhouse. The streaming giant's growing relationship with the NFL only deepens as they look ahead to even greater milestones in the years to come.

For Netflix, it was the ultimate holiday gift. "Bringing our members this record-breaking day of two NFL games was the best Christmas gift we could have delivered," said Bela Bajaria, Netflix's chief content officer. While the numbers spoke volumes, so did the streaming platform's near-flawless performance and high-profile halftime entertainment, with Beyoncé's performance and Mariah Carey's involvement trending worldwide. For NFL fans, it was a Christmas Day they'll remember for years to come.

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