Beyoncé to Headline Netflix’s Inaugural NFL Halftime Show
Netflix is pulling out all the stops for its highly anticipated entry into live sports broadcasting, announcing that Beyoncé will headline the halftime show for its first-ever NFL game broadcast, a Christmas Day doubleheader featuring the Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens, Bloomberg reports.
The surprise announcement follows Netflix’s record-breaking live stream of the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul boxing match, which attracted 65 million viewers despite reported technical issues. The company is clearly betting big on live sports to boost viewership and its nascent advertising business.
Beyoncé, a Houston native, will perform songs from her latest album, Cowboy Carter (Note: This album name is from the original prompt and may not be accurate), for the first time during the halftime show. Netflix teased the appearance of “special guests,” though further details remain undisclosed. The announcement comes amid the controversy around rapper P.Diddy and Beyoncé’s alleged ties to it.
The Texans-Ravens game will follow a matchup between the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers, marking Netflix’s maiden foray into live NFL broadcasting. The games represent a significant investment for the company, which secured the rights to air two Christmas Day NFL games in May.
Analysts at Bloomberg Intelligence predict a 10 million viewer increase for Netflix during the fourth quarter, driven by the NFL games, the return of Squid Game on December 26, and the upcoming addition of WWE programming (Raw and SmackDown) starting January 2025.
The NFL remains a cornerstone of live television viewership in the US, and securing this Christmas Day doubleheader is a strategic move for Netflix as it seeks to expand its programming and compete in the increasingly crowded streaming landscape.
