Despite repeated speculation, Netflix has once again clarified that it has no plans to acquire live sports rights in efforts to boost subscription numbers. Instead, the streaming giant is preparing to host a celebrity golf tournament this fall.
Netflix's approach diverges from most competitors in the online streaming arena who utilize live sports as an alluring factor for potential subscribers. The company believes that acquiring these rights is too costly and transient compared with its signature entertainment content which can be distributed on a global scale indefinitely.
Rumours suggesting a possible change of strategy for Netflix have gained traction due to declining subscriber numbers and limited new markets available for expansion. However, Ted Sarandos, co-chief executive at Netflix quashed these rumours while presenting the company's quarterly results stating steadfastly that they are simply focused on programming related to or adjacent to sport, such as documentaries.
Netflix co-chief executive, Ted Sarandos, said:
“Our position in live sports remains unchanged. We’re super excited about the success of our sports-adjacent programming. We just launched a great [series] called Quarterbacks with the NFL. A few weeks ago we had Tour de France [Unchained] which did exactly what we saw with Drive to Survive and introduce a brand new audience to a sport that has been around for a long time but not really understood."
“You do that through exceptional storytelling, not through the ‘live-ness’ of the game. By doing that we can now offer this wide variety of programming for sports fans that’s in season year round and it leans on our strength, which is storytelling.”
While steering clear of traditional sportscasting, Netflix confirmed reports regarding hosting an upcoming celebrity golf tournament slated this autumn in Las Vegas, featuring notable figures featured prominently across various sport-themed docuseries on its platform, including Drive To Survive from Formula One and Full Swing by PGA Tour.
It isn't the first time Netflix ventured beyond non-scripted content - previously producing stand-up comedy shows and reality TV segments successfully.
Sarandos continued:
“You will have read [about] some of the experimental stuff we’re going to be doing like this golf match in November,”
“We’re excited about that because it serves as a promotional vehicle for our sports brands like Full Swing and Drive to Survive. So, we really think that we can have a really strong offering for sports fans on Netflix without having to be part of the difficulty of the economic model of live sports licensing.”
Even amidst rampant speculation about purchasing actual game rights persisting frequently, the latest developments indicate little scope or need for shifting gears.
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