Netflix’s big bet on live events is paying off. New data published by the analytics firm Antenna indicates that Netflix added 1.43 million subscribers in the days surrounding the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul boxing match, while 656,000 members signed up around its NFL Christmas Day games.
Those numbers may seem small in a sea of Netflix’s more than 300 million global subscribers, but the streamer has consistently maintained around 50,000 to 70,000 signups per day since it began its password-sharing crackdown in 2023, according to Antenna.
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Image: Antenna
Netflix highlighted its record viewership for live events in a letter to investors on Tuesday, noting that it will focus on airing “can’t-miss, special event programming” rather than regular season sports programming.
“Although our live programming will likely be a small percentage of our total view hours and content expense, we think the eventized nature will result in outsized value to both our members and our business,” Netflix said. The company also raised prices across all of its subscriptions as it continues to “invest in programming and deliver more value.”
Aside from Netflix, Paramount Plus drew in the most subscribers around last year’s Super Bowl LVII, with Antenna’s data showing a 3.2 million spike in signups surrounding the big game. Peacock also saw notable growth when it aired its NFL AFC Wild Card Game and in the first days of the Paris Summer Olympics.
