Netflix is airing its first live football games on Christmas Day, with the Steelers vs. Chiefs and Ravens vs. Texans. After months of reporting and rumors, the streamer officially announced who would be on the call for the two games and who would handle studio coverage.
For the Steelers-Chiefs game, Ian Eagle, Nate Burleson, and J.J. Watt will call the game, as previously reported, while Melanie Collins of CBS and Stacey Dales of NFL Network will work as the two sideline reporters. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport will also serve as an insider in the gameday coverage. At the same time, former NFL referee and CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore will be the rules analyst for both games.
“There are two phenomenal matchups,” J.J. Watt told Tudum, Netflix’s official companion site. “The Chiefs and Steelers are both near the top of the AFC — [it will be] an old school battle, hopefully with a bit of snow. Just a perfect Christmas Day game.”
Pregame coverage will take place from NFL Network studios in Los Angeles and at Acrisure Stadium. As reported earlier today, Kay Adams, Drew Brees, Robert Griffin III, Manti Te’o, and Mina Kimes will provide studio coverage out of Los Angeles. ESPN’s Laura Rutledge, NBC’s Devin McCourty, and his brother, ESPN’s Jason McCourty, will be at Acrisure Stadium to host the pregame show, while comedian Bert Kreischer will provide “tailgate coverage” and comedian Nate Bargatze will do guest commentary.
The Ravens-Texans game will have Noah Eagle, Steve Wyche, Greg Olsen, and Jamie Erdahl as on-air commentators, with Eagle and Olsen in the booth and Wyche and Erdahl as the sideline reporters. Additionally, Beyonce will perform the halftime show.
It’s one of Netflix’s first attempts at live entertainment, and while their first didn’t go well with the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight, hopes are that things will be better with their foray into the NFL. If Netflix can’t provide a high-quality entertainment experience, it will be a one-and-done experiment with them broadcasting the Christmas Day games.
