Netflix will air its first live golf event next month, and stars from its two popular streaming series “Full Swing” and “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” will face off in Sin City.
Stars from both sports will face off in the ‘Netflix Cup,’ set to air Nov. 14 at Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas. The course is ranked 19th on Golfweek’s Best 2023: Top 50 casino golf courses in the U.S. The drivers and golfers will pair up to compete in a match-play tournament at the only 18-hole course on the Strip, helping kick off the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix. The match play will stream live on Netflix at 6 p.m. ET.
The PGA Tour golfers involved are Rickie Fowler, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas. Meanwhile, F1 drivers set to compete are Alex Albon (Williams Racing), Pierre Gasly (BWT Alpine F1 Team), Lando Norris (McLaren Racing) and Carlos Sainz (Scuderia Ferrari).
Two worlds collide in Netflix's first LIVE sports event — the Netflix Cup! It's Formula 1: Drive to Survive vs. Full Swing — streaming live from the Wynn Las Vegas on November 14 at 3PM PT/6PM ET! pic.twitter.com/CbTg3k7qIL
— Netflix (@netflix) October 17, 2023
“We love to see how our sports series have brought increased fandom to sports leagues and competitions all over the world,” said Gabe Spitzer, Vice President of Nonfiction Sports at Netflix, in a release. “The Netflix Cup will take that energy to the next level with global stars from two popular hits competing in our first-ever live sports event.”
Think of the Netflix Cup as another version of Capital One’s The Match, a made-for-TV product featuring popular athletes from numerous sports.
The Netflix Cup is a first-of-its-kind live event that showcases two of Netflix’s sports programming breakouts. “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” is now in production on its sixth season as the fandom continues to popularize the sport in the US. “Full Swing,” one of 2023’s new series, is finishing filming on a second season and is credited with a rise in PGA Tour fan engagement.
Four pairs consisting of one Formula 1 driver and one PGA Tour professional will play an eight-hole match with the top two teams advancing to the final hole, where they will battle for the chance to win the inaugural Netflix Cup title.
“The continued success of “Drive to Survive” has played a significant role in the growth of Formula 1 in the US, which has ultimately led to the addition of a third American race,” said Emily Prazer, Chief Commercial Officer, Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc, in a release. “It’s only fitting that we kick off our inaugural race weekend with a fun event that can be streamed by F1 and PGA Tour fans around the globe.”
