Tyler Cross
Published on: January 26, 2024
In a move that’s practically borrowed from cable TV services of the past, Netflix has begun adding access to live sports broadcasts with a subscription.
This isn’t a revolutionary decision as other streaming services have already begun. Amazon Prime, for example, already broadcasts some live sports for anyone with Amazon Prime. The result certainly drew more customers as a result.
Netflix secured the rights to broadcast WWE, a US-based live wrestling show. Shows like Smackdown and Raw will no longer need a separate subscription to view.
The move comes after years of Netflix losing its market share to competitive streaming services. As an example, popular television shows like The Office are now housed on competitors’ websites. In response, Netflix began pouring billions of dollars into acquiring movies, television shows, and now, sports broadcasts.
It’s certainly a defensive move by Netflix while it tries to play catch-up to its rivals.
This move essentially cements the similarities between streaming and cable. In the past, you’d need to pay a base subscription, plus extra for various channel packages, sports broadcasts, and pay-per-view events.
Now you’ll need a variety of different streaming services that each have their own payment structure, ads, apps, and websites to watch the majority of popular shows and sports. The average person is spending just as much on streaming services (if not more) than they were on cable.
WWE also has a streaming service with its own subscription to view a range of matches from across the years, so combining some of its services with Netflix can also be seen as a good thing for consumers.
Netflix recently boasted its largest-ever fourth-quarter subscription growth (potentially as a result of the crackdown on password sharing), and this deal is expected to bring in a whole new slew of subscribers.
According to senior analysts, other top streaming services will have to begin including live sports, news broadcasts, and other cable-like elements to stay competitive.
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- Source: https://www.safetydetectives.com/news/netflix-adds-live-sports-to-its-streaming-service/
