Beyoncé delivered more excitement than either of the four NFL games showcased on Netflix’s Christmas Day debut, providing a highlight that outshone the lackluster slate. Her 13-minute halftime performance in front of her hometown crowd in Houston was a major success, featuring surprise appearances by Shaboozey and Post Malone.
The action on the field didn’t quite live up to expectations, with Kansas City’s 29-10 rout over Pittsburgh and Baltimore’s 31-2 victory over Houston. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce dominated the Steelers’ defense, while Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to a convincing win.
Mariah Carey kicked off the doubleheader with a taped performance of “All I Want for Christmas is You,” followed by the Chiefs’ dominant win over the Steelers. The broadcast itself went smoothly, despite minor issues at the start of the pregame show.
Netflix’s deal to air NFL games on Christmas Day was a major success, with viewers tuning in from nearly 200 countries and all 50 states. The streaming service experienced some technical difficulties during previous events, including its fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul in November.
The league has played more than 30 games on Christmas since 1989, but only scheduled two games on Wednesday to accommodate its deal with Netflix. The NFL’s partnership with Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, and YouTube TV marks a growing trend of streaming exclusive NFL content.
Beyoncé’s performance marked the second-most popular live title on Netflix, according to NFL Media. The league is expected to give the streaming service one of its biggest days since launching in 1998, with over 282 million subscribers in more than 190 countries.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/beyonce-halftime-performance-highlight-lackluster-nfl-christmas-slate