Music, Netflix, and the NFL

The intersection of sports, streaming, and music.

Music, Netflix, and the NFL

🏈 🎶 The first ever NFL game was streamed on Netflix on Christmas and this is great for the music industry. Each game averaged around 24 million viewers. Beyoncé performed during the Ravens-Texans half time show. The NFL and Netflix entered a 3 year deal so there is more to come. So how does this benefit rights holders (other than Beyoncé)?

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1️⃣ Music in Commercials Gain New Life • With Netflix’s global reach, commercials featuring licensed tracks during NFL broadcasts have the potential to generate even more performance royalties. Streaming platforms bring larger, more diverse audiences, opening the door for broader exposure and increased royalty streams.
2️⃣ Background Music in NFL Games • Whether it’s the iconic pregame themes, halftime show highlights, or incidental music, streaming NFL content ensures sync fees and performance royalties for the composers and artists behind these tracks.
3️⃣ A Global Audience • Netflix’s international presence allows NFL broadcasts—and their accompanying music—to reach new markets. For music rights holders, this means untapped revenue from royalties in countries where the NFL is growing in popularity.
4️⃣ Transparency and Data-Driven Payments • Unlike traditional TV, streaming platforms provide granular viewership data. This improves the accuracy of royalty distributions, ensuring rights holders get paid fairly based on actual consumption.
5️⃣ Increased Demand for Sync Licensing • Advertisers and content creators will want premium tracks to accompany high-profile streaming games. This drives up sync licensing fees, benefiting music publishers and artists alike.

As the NFL enters the streaming era, music rights holders stand to gain from:
🎧 Broader exposure for their work.
💰 Enhanced royalty opportunities.
🌍 Access to global audiences through Netflix’s reach.

The intersection of sports, streaming, and music is valuable. What do you think—how else can this shift benefit music rights holders?

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