What's Happening?
Terence Crawford's victory over Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez in a boxing match at Allegiant Stadium in Nevada on September 13 drew significant attention on Netflix. The event achieved an average minute audience (AMA) of 36.6 million Live+Same Day viewers, which increased to 41.4 million in Live+1, according to VideoAmp and Netflix. The U.S. audience alone contributed 20.3 million viewers in Live+Same Day. The match peaked at 24 million concurrent streams and topped Netflix's charts in 30 countries, including the U.S., Mexico, and the U.K. This event follows Netflix's previous success with live sports, such as the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul match, which garnered an AMA of 108 million viewers.
Why It's Important?
The substantial viewership of the Crawford vs. Canelo fight underscores Netflix's growing influence in the live sports streaming market. This success demonstrates the platform's ability to attract large audiences for live events, potentially challenging traditional sports broadcasters. The high viewership numbers also highlight the increasing consumer shift towards streaming services for live sports content. This trend could lead to more sports organizations partnering with streaming platforms, altering the landscape of sports broadcasting and potentially impacting advertising revenues for traditional networks.
What's Next?
Netflix's continued investment in live sports, including upcoming events like the NFL Christmas doubleheader and WWE's 'Monday Night Raw,' suggests a strategic push to expand its sports offerings. This could lead to further collaborations with sports leagues and increased competition with other streaming services. As Netflix solidifies its position in the live sports market, traditional broadcasters may need to innovate and adapt to maintain their audience share. The success of these ventures could also influence Netflix's content strategy, potentially leading to more diverse live event offerings.
