Christmas Day marks the debut of the NFL on Netflix, just the latest streaming service to carry a live game from America’s most popular sports league. Netflix joins Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, ESPN+ and even Yahoo!/Verizon in carrying an ‘exclusive’ NFL window, but it will not be the only option to view the Christmas Day doubleheader of Ravens-Steelers and Ravens-Texans. Below, an overview of the viewing options with Netflix — and without.
How to Watch the Christmas NFL games on Netflix
Date: Wednesday, December 25
Time: 1 PM ET (Chiefs-Steelers) and 4:30 PM (Ravens-Texans)
Networks: Netflix (nationally), CBS (home markets)
Streaming options: Netflix, NFL+
With Netflix
The easiest way to watch Wednesday’s NFL Christmas Day games on Netflix is, of course, to purchase a subscription to Netflix — but which subscription should you purchase? The streamer offers various plans, the cheapest of which is a $7 per month ad-supported subscription. If one is tuning in solely for the NFL games, this plan makes the most sense as the games will include ads even if one subscribes to one of the higher-priced ad-free tiers. The other limitations of this plan are also easy to ignore if you are subscribing for the NFL only — the 1080p resolution (most sportscasts are offered at 720p) and the two-device restriction.
Other plans make less sense if one is watching only for the NFL games. The standard $15.49/month plan is the same as the $7/mo plan, except it is ad free. As the NFL game will include ads regardless of the subscription level, one would thus pay more-than-twice as much for literally no benefit. The premium plan adds 4K resolution and the ability to watch on up to four devices, aspects that are also irrelevant for the NFL games, which will not be broadcast in 4K, per Phillip Swann of TV Answer Man. It may be the case that one wants to watch the games on four devices, but it seems highly unlikely that the majority of viewers would need — or even desire — that functionality.
Both higher-priced plans may be worthwhile for subscribers whose interest in Netflix includes the streamer’s movies and episodic programming, otherwise only the $7/mo plan makes sense. (That may well be what Netflix prefers as well, as ad-supported plans tend to generate more in revenue than even the most expensive ad-free option.)
Without Netflix
Netflix will not be the only way to watch the Christmas Day games. All NFL games that do not air on broadcast television — i.e. on streaming services or on cable — are simulcast on local over-the-air stations in the home markets. As CBS is producing the games for Netflix, those over-the-air simulcasts will be on the CBS affiliates in Kansas City (KCTV5), Pittsburgh (KDKA), Houston (KHOU) and Baltimore (WJZ). (The over-the-air simulcasts will only be for the game involving the local team, so Kansas City viewers will not get Ravens-Texans on KCTV.)
Outside of the home markets, viewers can also opt to watch the Christmas games on the NFL+ streaming service, which for the same $7/mo as the Netflix ad-supported tier includes all local and primetime NFL games — with a catch. Those games can only be viewed on phone and tablet devices, the kind of viewing experience that is really only acceptable for a singular viewer. An NFL+ subscription does at least allow the purchaser to watch the remaining two weeks of the NFL regular season and all playoff games (again, on phones and tablets only), but for anyone who prefers the traditional television viewing experience, that may not be enough to overcome the device restrictions.
For $15/mo, the NFL+ premium tier does have one carrot — access to NFL RedZone on all devices (not just phones and tablets). If one subscribes only for a single month, getting even just two weeks of RedZone might be worth the price.
A subscription to NFL Sunday Ticket will not be enough to view the games.
Other options include radio (Westwood One), physically going to the games, or waiting for encore presentations to air on NFL Network. Chiefs-Steelers will re-air on NFL Network at 8:30 PM ET Christmas night and again at 2 AM December 26, with Ravens-Texans on at 5 AM December 26.
