Netflix has released Beyonce’s recent NFL halftime performance as a standalone special called Beyonce Bowl. Photo Credit: Parkwood Entertainment
Moments after hosting a pair of Christmas Day NFL games – and multiple musical performances – Netflix has released Beyoncé’s halftime show as a standalone special.
Netflix added that 13-minute program, aptly entitled Beyoncé Bowl, today. As many already know, the namesake artist (and wife of Jay-Z) took the stage during the Texans-Ravens showdown this past Wednesday.
One of two NFL games aired exclusively on Netflix on Christmas, said showdown took place in Beyoncé’s native Houston. And while fan responses to the music component were mixed, the streaming platform, citing Nielsen figures, recently emphasized that the Texans-Ravens U.S. audience had peaked when Beyoncé was on stage.
Over 27 million individuals, presumably diehard football fans along with those who tuned in just to see the halftime set, watched Beyoncé from the U.S., per Netflix. (Mariah Carey kicked off the event with a pre-recorded rendition of perennial holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”)
Additionally, the service intends to disclose the games’ worldwide “ratings and additional US insights” next Tuesday, December 31st.
Bearing that information in mind, it makes sense for both Netflix (which reportedly paid an eye-watering $150 million to broadcast the games) and Beyoncé to capitalize on the show, which also featured Post Malone and more.
Bigger picture, with Netflix already locked in for Christmas Day NFL broadcasts in 2025 as well as 2026, logic suggests that artists will work to capitalize on the halftime-show spotlight – possibly with new releases and even tours – moving forward.
Of course, this spotlight isn’t as large as that associated with the Super Bowl. But acts including Usher and the upcoming halftime headliner Kendrick Lamar have effectively reaped career rewards from their big-game performances. And it stands to reason that others can do the same, albeit on a smaller scale, with well-planned halftime sets at Christmas games.
Taking that idea a step further, Netflix added an Olivia Rodrigo concert special in October, more recently rolled out a Sabrina Carpenter special, is preparing to release an Avicii documentary on the 31st, and is increasingly active in the live-sports arena.
Stated differently, livestream concerts (and adjacent content) might factor prominently into the platform in the not-so-distant future. Shifting the focus from performances to straight recorded music, logic suggests that if Spotify can branch out into video, Netflix wouldn’t have too hard a time bolstering its increasingly diversified offering with listening options if so inclined.