The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- John Furner
Netflix might be dipping into the streaming competition for live sports for the first time with a celebrity golf tournament.
A new report suggests the event will feature the cast of its hit Formula One docuseries ‘Drive to Survive’ and its pro-golf reality show ‘Full Swing.’
While Netflix has not confirmed the live sporting event, the Wall Street Journal reports it will be held in Las Vegas.
Netflix is said to have lost bids for the live air rights to competitive tennis, cycling and the World Surf League – but is now moving forward with its own show.
Currently, Netflix’s plan for the celebrity golf outing is only in the preliminary phases, sources close to the company have told reporters.
PGA golfer Max Homa (above) may return to Netflix sooner than expected, if the streamer finalizes plans for a celebrity golf tournament matching the stars of golf reality series ‘Full Swing’ with the stars of Netflix’s Formula One racing docuseries ‘Drive to Survive’
Netflix’s hit behind-the-scenes Formula One docuseries has expanded that sport’s fanbase
Sources claim that Netflix’s executives have been hoping to get a piece of the live-streamed sports industry for over a year.
While several of Netflix’s biggest competitors, like Hulu and Amazon Prime, have already invested serious money in major sports-rights packages, even the streamer’s cautious bids for more niche leagues have yet to seal a single deal.
Last year, Netflix tried and failed to secure the logical tie-in rights to air Formula One racing live in the United States, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
Netflix ultimately lost its bid to host the international racing league to Disney, keeping the competition on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC for another three years.
The big streamers have diversified into deals with major sports franchises, from baseball to football, to expand their subscriber base and rev-up advertising sales. Netflix’s Co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos has been defensive on the streamer’s late entry into that competition.
‘We aren’t anti-sports,’ Sarandos said in January. ‘We’re pro-profit.’
The Co-CEO emphasized that Netflix was still looking for the right opportunities and a bidding strategy for major sports that would still be profitable alongside Netflix’s current business model.
Aussie driver Daniel Ricciardo, 33, became one of the most popular characters in the smash-hit show, but now that Ricciardo has failed to secure a seat on the 2023 grid, it’s unlikely fans will see much more of him. Could the fan favorite return to Netflix for some celebrity golf?
Producers believe French driver Pierre Gasly could occupy the space left by Ricciardo (above) on new seasons of ‘Drive to Survive.’ But could the two also face off on the golf course?
The proposed celebrity golf outing, which leverages subscriber interest in two of the platform’s most successful sports-themed reality series, could likely serve as a critical trial run after past stumbles.
Last April, the planned reunion episode of Netflix’s hit reality show ‘Love Is Blind’ experienced a 75-minute delay as the streamer’s servers frayed under the weight of 6.5 million viewers logging on to their Netflix accounts to watch the special.
The delay from the planned 8 pm air time to 9:15 pm ET resulted in fan outrage and numerous apologies from both the streaming network and the show’s hosts.
‘I want to say, we are sorry we’re late,’ host Vanessa Lachey told viewers, admitting the show was now airing in a live-to-tape format. ‘We are no longer live but we are here!’
Netflix executives reportedly see live sports as an essential means of jump-starting their strategic shift toward expanded profits through advertising revenue.
‘They need to give potential licensers comfort that it’s all going to work before going for mission-critical sports events,’ Desser said. ‘This is a relatively low-risk proposition.’
