After the release of their Aaron Rodgers-centered docuseries, Enigma, on December 16th, 2024, Netflix is now looking to expand its library of NFL-related content. The streaming giant has now announced that they will premiere American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson on January 29th of this year. The docuseries claims to feature new and candid interviews, aimed at reexamining the controversial life and crimes of former media star and NFL running back, O.J. Simpson.
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This announcement comes in the wake of a budding partnership between Netflix and the NFL that has now resulted in numerous docuseries, as well as the streaming giant owning the broadcasting rights to NFL Christmas Day games. The one-and-done sensation that was Netflix’s Quarterback series, which starred Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, and Marcus Mariota, was an immediate success for a platform that had been contending with dwindling subscriber numbers.
Netflix then followed this up with the production of a spin-off series in Receiver, a separate docuseries that took viewers inside the lives of some of the most prominent WR talents in the league today. As a result, it’s becoming readily apparent that Netflix is banking on the NFL to save the platform from a spiraling trend. Streaming numbers are down across the board, with numerous platforms now bundling their services together in hopes of restoring subscriber growth.
The NFL reported a 2.2% dip in regular season viewership this year, which may sound alarming until you compare it to those of its competitors. The NBA’s ratings have dipped as much as 28% this season, the MLB’s 2023 World Series was the lowest rated of its kind despite the sport’s 149-year legacy, and the NHL’s Winter Classic just posted an all-time low in ratings.
In an effort to combat their own falling numbers and buck the business-wide trend, Netflix has wisely hitched its wagon to the most reliable sporting league in the world. Where others are beginning to falter, the NFL is maintaining, if not outright thriving right now.
The O.J. Simpson documentary is just another sign that football is indeed king, as it is one of the safest entities that a broadcasting or streaming company can bet on.
The NFL set a third consecutive viewership record this year for Thanksgiving, making Netflix’s desire to secure the aforementioned streaming rights for Christmas Day games understandable. By connecting itself to the most-watched sporting league in all of America, Netflix has ensured that it will remain prevalent while its competitors continue to struggle.
The streaming platform that outlasted Blockbuster may have missed out on the likes of Thursday Night Football, with Amazon Prime claiming that exclusive, but it clearly shows no hesitation in continuing to churn out as much NFL-related content as possible.
From current player-centric docuseries to controversial true crime documentaries centered around former players, Netflix is guaranteed to keep football fans entertained. Whether the subject matter of the documentary is controversial or not, this is of no concern to a company that is merely hoping to survive viewers’ declining interest in streaming platforms.
