Netflix Strikes Multi-Year Deal with EverPass for Commercial Distribution of NFL Games

Five exclusive NFL broadcasts, including the league's first Thanksgiving Eve game and a Christmas Day doubleheader, will now be legally available to stream in commercial venues nationwide. Netflix has signed a multi-year agreement with EverPass Media to distribute its full 2026 professional football slate to bars, restaurants, and hotels across the United States. The deal, announced on September 1, 2026, significantly broadens an existing partnership between the two companies, as EverPass previously handled the commercial distribution for Netflix's Christmas Day NFL broadcasts and select live boxing events over the past two seasons. By securing a dedicated commercial pipeline, Netflix ensures its high-priced sports acquisitions reach fans gathering in public spaces, bypassing the logistical and legal hurdles of setting up residential streaming accounts in hospitality environments.[1][2][3]

Under the expanded terms, commercial venues will now have authorized access to the streaming platform's marquee football events right from the start of the season. The lineup kicks off on September 10 with the league's Week 1 international game in Melbourne, Australia, featuring the San Francisco 49ers against the Los Angeles Rams. This matchup represents the NFL's ongoing push to globalize its audience, and its placement on a streaming platform highlights the league's willingness to experiment with digital-first distribution for landmark events. For bar and restaurant owners, securing the rights to broadcast the Melbourne game provides an early-season draw that would otherwise be inaccessible through traditional cable or satellite packages.[1][3]

The newly distributed schedule also includes the highly anticipated Thanksgiving Eve matchup on November 25, pitting the Green Bay Packers against the Los Angeles Rams. This game marks the NFL's first foray into Wednesday night holiday programming, a strategic move designed to capture audiences before the traditional Thanksgiving Day slate dominated by linear television networks. A month later, the Christmas Day doubleheader on December 25 will feature the Packers taking on the Chicago Bears, followed by the Buffalo Bills against the Denver Broncos. These holiday fixtures have historically generated massive out-of-home viewership figures, making commercial distribution essential for both the league and the venues that rely on holiday sports traffic.[2][3]

Rounding out the 2026 slate is a pivotal Week 18 regular-season finale on January 9, 2027, with the specific matchup yet to be announced, as well as the annual NFL Honors awards ceremony during Super Bowl week. The inclusion of the Week 18 game ensures that EverPass subscribers will have access to a contest with direct playoff implications, maintaining the value of the commercial package through the very end of the regular season. “Netflix continues to bring some of the NFL’s biggest moments to fans, and we’re excited to expand our partnership to make those events available to commercial businesses across the U.S.,” said Alex Kaplan, CEO of EverPass Media, in a statement accompanying the announcement.[1][2][3]

Kaplan emphasized that the rapid shift of premium live sports toward digital platforms requires entirely new infrastructure for the hospitality sector, which has historically relied on traditional cable and satellite packages. “Digital distribution has fundamentally changed how audiences access content, and EverPass was built to help commercial businesses keep up with that evolution,” he noted. The transition has often left independent bar owners struggling to navigate fragmented rights, where must-see games are scattered across multiple streaming services. Centralized platforms like EverPass aim to solve this by offering businesses a single, legally authorized pipeline to access streaming-exclusive events, ensuring they can continue to draw crowds without navigating a patchwork of consumer apps.[3]

To facilitate the nationwide rollout, DirecTV for Business will operate under a separate multi-year agreement to market, sell, and distribute the Netflix NFL package to commercial customers, alongside other sports programming available through the EverPass platform. This dual-pronged distribution strategy allows venues to integrate the new streaming content into their existing commercial audiovisual setups, minimizing the technical friction that often accompanies the transition from linear television to digital exclusivity. DirecTV's established relationships with thousands of hospitality venues across the country provide EverPass and Netflix with an immediate, scalable sales force to drive adoption ahead of the Week 1 kickoff.[1][3]

For Netflix, the agreement represents a critical step in maximizing the reach and monetization of its live sports investments. By pushing high-profile NFL games into commercial venues, the streaming giant aims to bolster its advertising scale and support its ambitious revenue targets for 2026, turning public viewership into a measurable asset for brand partners. Out-of-home viewership in bars and restaurants not only boosts overall audience metrics but also provides a highly engaged demographic for advertisers. As Netflix continues to build out its ad-supported tier, proving that its live events can command massive, communal audiences is essential to justifying the premium rates it charges sponsors.[4]

The partnership also arrives during a period of significant transition for EverPass itself. In late August 2026, the global sports entertainment platform DAZN announced plans to acquire EverPass, intending to merge its U.S. commercial distribution capabilities with DAZN's international scale. The acquisition highlights the growing value of commercial sports rights as streaming platforms increasingly dominate the live broadcast landscape. Once the acquisition clears regulatory approvals, EverPass is slated to rebrand as DAZN for Business, creating a unified global commercial distribution network that will manage NFL Sunday Ticket alongside these newly secured Netflix exclusives.[1][2]