Netflix’s big bet on the NFL and Beyoncé seems to have paid off. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Netflix had a lot on the line with two live NFL games on Christmas Day. It’s not just that the streaming giant paid $150 million to show the games as part of a three-year deal,

Netflix and the NFL have had a relationship for a couple years, starting in 2023 with the docuseries “Quarterback,” which followed Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota during the 2022-23 NFL season. In July, Netflix released “Receiver,” which follows five of the NFL’s best pass catchers through the 2023 season.