Amazon and Apple have invested billions towards live sports, and Netflix (NFLX) is finally giving it a shot, at least in an exhibition format.
Netflix is working toward creating a live streamed celebrity golf tournament that would feature professional golfers and Formula One drivers and would launch this fall, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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The tournament would be set in Las Vegas and is expected to feature athletes from two of the popular Netflix sports docuseries -- “Formula 1: Drive to Survive,” which has released five seasons and is credited for bolstering the motorsport league’s popularity around the world, and “Full Swing,” which follows pro golfers and released its debut season earlier this year.
Netflix has dabbled in some live streaming, including a special for reality show “Love Is Blind” in April which ended up not pushing through due to technical issues, but this celebrity golf tournament would be the company’s first attempt at live sports.
Netflix had been rumored to bid for the rights to Formula 1, but lost to ESPN. Netflix has explored smaller deals in tennis and cycling, and this celebrity golf tournament could be a test for their future endeavors in live sports, the Wall Street Journal reported.
On the other hand, Netflix’s competitors have been very active in embracing live sports. Amazon (AMZN) is paying over $1 billion a year for NFL broadcasting rights highlighted by Thursday Night Football, and is rumored to make a bid at a piece of the NBA’s next media rights deal.
Apple (APPL) , on the other hand, has invested in the MLB and the MLS, which will have the services of global soccer star Lionel Messi this year.
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