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After the National Football League announced its first Thanksgiving game, one U.S. senator was not happy.
The Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams will face off in Inglewood, California the day before Thanksgiving, and the game is set to stream exclusively on Netflix.
This of course requires a paid subscription, which is unacceptable to Senator Tammy Baldwin (Democrat of Wisconsin).
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Netflix and NFL signage announces the two NFL Christmas Day marquee games streaming live on Netflix in New Orleans, Louisiana on December 1, 2024. (Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
Baldwin introduced a bill last month that would allow fans to live stream professional sports teams in their home states for free. Shortly after the NFL’s announcement, it tore them apart.
“As the cost of almost everything continues to rise, the NFL is once again asking Wisconsinites to spend their hard-earned dollars on another streaming service. Enough is enough,” Baldwin said in a statement. “My For the Fans Act would end this exact scenario and prevent Wisconsin families from being forced to pay for Netflix just to watch the Packers play on Thanksgiving.”
Games played on other streaming sites, or even the NFL Network, have been made available to fans on local television, but Netflix remains an exception.
Senator Tammy Baldwin was re-elected in Wisconsin, the state also voting for Donald Trump in the presidential election. (Tammy Baldwin/Reuters)
NFL ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL THANK YOU GAME BETWEEN PACKERS AND RAMS WILL BE BROADCAST ON NETFLIX
A few years ago, the NFL realized that Black Friday could be an option for fans to gather around their televisions, and it found another since hometown bars will be packed the day before the major holiday.
The NFL has immersed himself in vacationalso becoming the new King of Christmas.
Netflix has the rights to five NFL games in 2026, including the league’s first-ever game in Australia. The streaming service will offer five regular season games as well as NFL Honors through 2029. It has been broadcasting two games on Christmas Day since 2024.
Although Netflix’s push into live sports has drawn some criticism, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the strategy is not about securing full-season rights packages for a sports league.
“We don’t do deals on a full season of sports, including the NFL,” Sarandos told FOX Business Network. “Mornings with Maria” Tuesday. So far, Sarandos’ comments have proven true, with Netflix prioritizing highlight events including Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and the New York Yankees’ opening day shutout of the San Francisco Giants.
Teams line up at the line of scrimmage during the NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on October 6, 2024. (Jevone Moore/Sportswire Icon)
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However, federal scrutiny of sports fragmentation has brought the topic of live sports on streaming services to the forefront.
