Netflix is expanding its live sports programming next year to include a tennis match with two of the sport’s biggest stars—Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz—as more streaming services grow their offers for live sports.
The Spaniards will face off live on Netflix in March.
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Key Takeaways
- Nadal and Alcaraz will face off in an exhibition match Netflix is calling “The Netflix Slam”, which will be broadcast live from the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on March 3 at 3 p.m ET.
- The broadcast will air for both English and Spanish speaking markets, Netflix said.
- Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam men’s singles title champion nearing the end of his career, is not currently among the top ranks of the sport’s ATP tour because he hasn’t played in a tournament since the beginning of the year due to hip injury.
- Alcaraz, 20, holds two grand slam titles and currently is ranked second on the ATP tour ranks.
What we Don’t Know
There will be other matchups as part of the event, but it’s unclear who will play in them. Netflix said they’d announced those players at an unspecified later date.
Key Background
Last month, Netflix hosted its first live sporting event called “Full Swing”, which was a golf tournament that included Formula 1 drivers who were featured on the Netflix docuseries “Drive to Survive ” and professional golfers. That live event, which aired Nov. 14, also took place in Vegas and reportedly included some audio issues. Netflix is following the lead of other streaming companies including Peacock and Amazon Prime which have aired live sporting events. Amazon Prime exclusively airs Thursday Night Football every week for the NFL. Apple TV hosts Friday Night Baseball.
What To Watch For
There are some reports that Netflix is interested in gaining the rights to the NBA’s In-Season tournament, but the streaming company has yet to make any formal announcement.
This article was first published on forbes.com.
