Netflix executive sees live sports as a necessary investment worth making

Netflix is diving into the world of live sports, led by their VP of Nonfiction Series & Sports, Brandon Riegg. He sees this move as a “necessary risk” to bring an exciting new aspect to Netflix’s lineup that can bring viewers together. Riegg is at the helm of live programming at Netflix, overseeing unscripted series, sports content, and documentaries.

In the upcoming months, Netflix will be airing a match between boxers Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford, as well as securing the U.S. rights to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027. This strategic move comes with its challenges, as sports rights are costly, and technical issues still need to be fine-tuned to stream live shows seamlessly to their massive subscriber base of 300 million worldwide.

While Riegg is cautious about acquiring entire sports leagues, he sees potential in specific events like the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano fight. Even though it didn’t reach the viewership levels of a highly anticipated match like Mike Tyson-Jake Paul, Riegg remains optimistic about the future of live sports on Netflix. The potential for increased advertising revenue and viewer engagement makes this venture worth exploring (Source: N.Y. Times).