Netflix is finally entering the live sports arena on Tuesday. This is a pivotal moment for the streaming giant, which was previously one of the most prominent holdouts in the space.
PGA Tour players Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas, Max Homa, and Colin Morikawa will be paired with F1 drivers Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, and Pierre Gasly for a 6 p.m. ET tour from Las Vegas. They will be competing in the Netflix Cup, which will be broadcast live. Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas.
The event will consist of an eight-hole match and will last two and a half hours, according to the Netflix app. For Netflix, the most pressing challenge with its live sports debut is ensuring the stream ends without a hitch. The company failed when it tried to livestream a reunion on one of its dating shows earlier this year.
Beyond the basic features, the quality of Netflix’s streams will also be highlighted, along with the production of the golf event itself, collaborations with Excel Sports Management, BZ Entertainment, and Full Day Productions.
If this event is a success, Netflix appears poised to delve deeper into live sports. The company is reportedly interested in streaming boxing matches involving Jake Paul.
Viewer numbers for the Netflix Cup likely won’t be announced, but a similar celebrity golf special, “The Match,” from earlier this year drew an average of 782,000 viewers on TNT and two other channels. The event pitted Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce against the Golden State Warriors’ Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Netflix is reportedly charging potential advertisers $2 million for Tuesday night’s event.