Netflix remains the favorite, but Amazon has reportedly tossed its hat into the ring for the NFL’s Christmas Day slate.
John Ourand of Puck reported Monday that Amazon has submitted a bid to carry the NFL’s two Christmas Day games this season, which as of now remain likely to go to Netflix. Rights to the games remain up for grabs with just two days left before the NFL schedule release.
Per Ourand, Amazon would use the Christmas Day games as a promotional showcase for its online retail business, much the same way as it uses its annual Black Friday game.
The NFL is said to prefer Netflix and the opportunity to open a yet another relationship with a powerful media company. A deal with Netflix would give the league an in with three of the four “FANG” technology companies, with Netflix joining Amazon and Google. (Facebook is the exception.)
There was no mention Monday of any linear option for the Christmas games. The NFL has played games on Christmas in four consecutive seasons, with all-but-one of those matchups airing on broadcast television. Last year’s Christmas games averaged nearly 29 million viewers, a figure that the league does not seem likely to reach on Netflix or Amazon.
As previously noted, the NFL did not originally plan to play any Christmas games this year. The holiday falls on a Wednesday, a day of the week on which the league has rarely played.
