Netflix to Serve Up Live Tennis, Featuring Nadal and Alcaraz
The streaming company’s latest live sports event features two big names in tennis
Netflix will stream a one-night tennis exhibition match featuring Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz in the streaming company’s latest foray into live sports.
Nadal, winner of 22 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, and Alcaraz, the current No. 2 ranked men’s player, will face off in a match next year, the company said Monday.
The event, called “The Netflix Slam,” will take place in Las Vegas on March 3 and stream live. Other tennis players and matchups will be announced later, Netflix said.
Streaming companies have been adding sports events to their platforms because it is one of the rare types of programming people watch live. That is appealing to advertisers, who want their ads in front of viewers who are watching for hours.
Amazon.com’s Prime Video and Alphabet’s YouTube have paid hefty prices to stream live National Football League games. Comcast’s Peacock streams Premier League soccer and carries Big Ten football.
Netflix executives have largely resisted the live-sports trend because of the escalating costs of sports rights.
Last month, Netflix streamed its first live sporting event, “The Netflix Cup,” a golf tournament with athletes from “Drive to Survive,” its Formula One documentary, and “Full Swing,” its show about professional golfers.
Netflix has also had discussions about airing a live boxing match, The Wall Street Journal reported last month.
Streaming live sports could bolster Netflix’s new ad business, which has grown slowly. The company launched a plan with ads a year ago that’s cheaper than its other service tiers.
The tennis match between the two Spanish players—one a tennis legend nearing the end of his career, the other a young player bringing new energy to the sport—will air in English and Spanish.
They have faced each other three times, with Nadal winning twice.
Nadal, 37, has been battling injuries. He is expected to return at the Australian Open in January after a year away. Both he and Alcaraz, 20, said in statements that they’re looking forward to playing each other.
“I am sure it will be a fantastic night of tennis,” Nadal said.