Yazılar

Netflix Sets Streaming Record with Christmas Day NFL Games

/in /tarafından

Netflix made history on Christmas Day, setting a new record for the most-streamed NFL games in U.S. history, according to Nielsen. Nearly 65 million viewers tuned in to watch two highly anticipated matchups streamed exclusively on the platform.

The Baltimore Ravens’ win over the Houston Texans drew an average of 24.3 million viewers, while the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers attracted 24.1 million viewers. The Ravens-Texans game peaked during Beyoncé’s halftime performance, which brought in over 27 million viewers.

“Bringing our members this record-breaking day of two NFL games was the best Christmas gift we could have delivered,” said Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer. She credited the partnership with the NFL, the “wonderful on-air talent,” and the iconic performances by Beyoncé and Mariah Carey for the milestone.

These games marked the beginning of a three-year partnership between Netflix and the NFL to exclusively stream Christmas Day matchups.

The NFL wasn’t the only sports league celebrating on Christmas. The NBA also achieved notable viewership records. Its five-game Christmas Day lineup averaged 5.25 million viewers per game, the highest in five years, according to Nielsen.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ victory over the Golden State Warriors drew 7.76 million viewers, peaking at 8.32 million, making it the most-watched NBA regular-season game in five years. The New York Knicks’ win against the San Antonio Spurs, which opened the day, averaged 4.91 million viewers, marking the most-watched Christmas Day opener in 13 years.

Overall, NBA viewership on Christmas was up 84% compared to 2023, with games broadcast across Disney’s platforms, including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, Disney+, and ESPN+.

 

Cramer Bullish on Netflix’s Future After Strong Earnings Report

/in /tarafından

Following Netflix’s latest earnings report, CNBC’s Jim Cramer reaffirmed his bullish stance on the company, expressing increased optimism about its future. He praised Netflix’s management for their outlook on growth and content, highlighting that the company has addressed concerns about sustaining its momentum.

“If you were worried about Netflix not having enough strategies to drive growth or enough justification for its high price-to-earnings ratio, I think those worries have been dispelled by last night’s earnings report,” Cramer remarked. He believes Netflix’s strong quarter will keep the bears in check for now but warns that when they reemerge, investors should remember the company’s solid fundamentals, which he thinks can “rock on higher for a long time.”

Netflix’s recent performance exceeded Wall Street’s expectations, with impressive earnings, revenue, and paid membership growth figures. The company’s stock surged by 11% on Friday and maintained those gains through the close.

Cramer was particularly encouraged by the company’s positive guidance for the next quarter and into 2025, dispelling investor fears about maintaining double-digit revenue growth. He also praised co-CEO Ted Sarandos for detailing Netflix’s extensive content library and strong user engagement, pointing out that on average, users watch two hours of content daily. Instead of bundling content with other services as some competitors do, Netflix is focused on adding more value to its platform.

The breadth of Netflix’s content offerings, such as popular shows like Emily in Paris, Selling Sunset, and Squid Game, along with two NFL games set to stream on Christmas, make Cramer optimistic about the company’s ability to grow its ad-tier. Sarandos’ positive view on how AI will impact Netflix’s business also adds to this optimism.

While Cramer clarified that he does not see Netflix becoming an AI-driven company, he believes that its growing content library, successful ad-tier model, and potential to leverage artificial intelligence will lead to substantial financial gains. “We have a lot of positives here, and it’s going to translate into a lot of money,” he concluded.