RANT SPORTS – The push of Netflix into live sports content has proved to be a bold yet successful move. The company added 19 million subscribers to their platform during the holiday season alone, citing their introduction of live sports programming as key to the rise. This has surpassed Wall Street expectations, and it has also shown the growing value of live events as a whole.

Netflix is Dominating the Entertainment Market

Netflix is beginning to recognize the potential of different verticals when it comes to its platform. They launched a gaming platform in 2021, with numerous games that take after their exclusive titles. Their move here makes sense too, especially when you look at the evolution of gaming, and in particular live gaming.

Live-streaming platforms have helped to popularize interactive experiences, especially those that take place in real-time. This can be seen across other entertainment industries, such as the casino industry. For example, you can now play live online casino games like live blackjack at Paddy Power. These include interactive elements, along with a live professional dealer, and there are over 12 variants available. Players even have the chance to choose their own table, as they would in a casino, showing just how immersive gaming is becoming, and how it is reshaping the world of entertainment.

Therefore, live experiences are booming across the entertainment industry, with such developments redefining how audiences engage with content. Netflix’s push into gaming and live sports shows their plans for the future only continue to grow. 

The addition of live sporting events, including the highly-anticipated Mike Tyson event, along with the NFL Christmas Day game has played a huge part in this growth. Greg Peters, the co-CEO of the company, has said that Netflix isn’t focusing on committing to regular sports seasons. They are, however, focused on creating event moments. This helps them to generate substantial viewing audiences during peak sports seasons. It also allows them to offer a non-traditional approach to live sports, through curated events.

Capitalizing on Growing Trends

Netflix has also inked a deal that allows them to stream live women’s football. In the US, sports like this are growing in popularity, with the company set to produce exclusive content. They are also seeking to include behind the scenes content, including docu-series and player profiles, alongside live content. 

This aims to offer subscribers the chance to see what happens behind the scenes, while also helping to create compelling narratives that build a greater level of interest in the sport as a whole. Even though Netflix now has the rights to stream women’s football matches, Telemundo and Fox Sports have the rights for FIFA in the US. In Canada, Bell Media holds rights for FIFA coverage until 2026, which includes CTV and TS.

With Netflix expanding its sports catalogue, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the streaming giant making the move to obtain the full rights to sports like football.  The men’s FIFA World Cup is a major event, with the broadcasting rights in the US for 2026 valued at $1 billion. Although price points like this do pose a challenge for the streaming platform, it may be that with their recent growth, they’re able to consider it as a future option.

RANT SPORTS – The Dodgers keep adding stars

Yesterday the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers added another talented pitcher in veteran righty reliever Kirby Yates to an already strong pitching staff. Yates will sign a one-year deal worth $13 million. So far the Dodgers have added some impressive stars to their pitching staff this winter.

They added two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell and Japanese superstar Roki Sasaki to the rotation, and Tanner Scott to the bullpen. Los Angeles has made it very clear that their goal is to repeat as World Series champs and remain aggressive in the off season.

Best rotation and bullpen in baseball?

1. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
2. Tyler Glasnow
3. Blake Snell
4. Shohei Ohtani
5. Roki Sasaki

The Dodgers possess at least three and potentially five pitchers who could be legitimate No. 1 starters elsewhere. This means even a rough start for Sasaki. Ohtani, meanwhile, is the wild card. He is set to return to the mound in 2025, though he might not be ready for Opening Day.

When he returns, will he resemble the frontline starter he once was with the Angels, or will two major elbow surgeries reduce him to a league-average pitcher? By acquiring players like Sasaki and Snell, the Dodgers can mitigate concerns about this uncertainty.

The Dodgers have plenty of rotation depth, as well, with Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, Bobby Miller, and Landon Knack all in the organization. Even Clayton Kershaw plans to pitch in 2025, though he remains a free agent.

Meanwhile, the bullpen was already strong before adding Yates. They signed Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million contract. Prior to that, they re-signed Blake Treinen on a two-year, $22 million deal.

So, the arms already on the roster from 2024 bullpen was already pretty well set up with Michael Kopech, Alex Vesia, Evan Phillips and more all still under team control. And with the team likely to use a six-man rotation, it’s expected they’re only going to have a seven-man bullpen.

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Have the Dodgers replaced the Yankees as the MLB big spenders

The Dodgers are now on track for a $379 million payroll, per Fangraphs’ estimate, which would be the largest payroll in MLB history.

After defeating the Yankees in the World Series last October, the Dodgers have the largest projected luxury tax payroll in MLB at $376.4 million, according to Cot’s Contracts. The Philadelphia Phillies are second with $307.8 million, followed by the Yankees with $302.9 million.

The Dodgers have committed nearly half a billion dollars in guaranteed contracts to players this offseason, second only to the New York Mets, who signed Juan Soto to a historic 15-year, $765 million deal.

Spending big doesn’t mean you will win a World Series

While it is true that spending tons of money doesn’t mean you can buy a championship. It is a fact that investing in the right players does pay off in the end.

In the wild card era (1995-present), 26 of the 29 teams to win a World Series ranked in the top half of MLB in opening day payroll. In the same time frame, 20 of the 29 World Series champions ranked in the top 10 in opening day pay payroll.

Only three World Series champions—the 2017 Astros, 2015 Royals and 2003 Marlins—ranked in the bottom half of MLB in opening day payroll. Only one team, the 2003 Marlins, won a World Series after ranking in the bottom 10 in opening day payroll.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is back for another year as All-Pro Bowl and he deserves the spot.

Mayfield was largely considered a snub when the NFC’s three quarterbacks for the Pro Bowl Games were revealed before the regular season ended. They were Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, the Minnesota Vikings’ Sam Darnold and the Detroit Lions’ Jared Goff, so Mayfield’s chances to actually end up making the games as an alternate became pretty decent if he didn’t make the Super Bowl — there was a good chance, after all, that one of those three quarterbacks would make it.

NFC quarterback Baker Mayfield (60 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drops back to pass against the AFC during the 2024 Pro Bowl. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

As it turned out, none of them did, so Mayfield was out of luck. And then he was in some — Daniels pulled out of the games due to injury, so Mayfield will be there to represent the NFC for the second time in a row.

offensive MVP award after defeating fellow NFC quarterback Geno Smith in the precision passing event, and he’ll be looking to win the award for the second year in a row when he participates in the games in Orlando.

Mayfield will be one of four Bucs players represented at the event alongside wide receiver Mike Evans, tackle Tristan Wirfs and defensive tackle Vita Vea.