Interestingly, even what you think is a big and formidable streaming platform like Netflix also needs to come up with fresh ideas to keep revenue coming in. Such as what it is planning to do, according to reports.
According to a recent story on the Wall Street Journal, Netflix is in talks about streaming a match featuring boxer and influencer Jake Paul, as well as a match between boxers from Premier Boxing Champions, which is a show currently running on Paramount’s Showtime.
The report added that these discussions are still in the early stages of consideration, and Netflix has not yet officially confirmed these.
While other streaming platforms like Amazon’s and YouTube have gravitated toward streaming live sports, Netflix is not keen on making its move in this regard.
According to Mirror, citing Paul, one of his matches, which was against Nate Diaz, sold 500,000 pay-per-views in the United States. So, if Netflix will venture on this, it will hugely contribute to its profits, even if it does not commit to a full season of boxing. Plus, it could also help it promote its documentary about Paul, “Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child,” which launched earlier this year.
This news came after reports last month that Showtime Sports is closing at the end of this year after a whopping 37 years, creating a potential void in the marketplace. In 2018, some of you may remember that HBO also discontinued its boxing programming.
Netflix had been jabbing with the idea of live sports for years, but the plans had not really come into fruition.
“We’ve not seen a profit path to renting big sports,” Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos said last December 2022. “We’re not anti-sports, we’re just pro-profit.”
But, everything is about to change soon when it streams a live golf tournament, “The Netflix Cup,” this November 14th.
Paul’s next bout is scheduled for December. There is no official news yet about his opponent, but there are rumors saying it could be a rematch against Tommy Fury; a grudge match versus his fellow YouTuber, KSI; or an octagon battle versus Diaz.
