After the National Football League announced its inaugural Thanksgiving Eve game, a U.S. senator was not pleased.
The Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams will face off in Inglewood, California, on Thanksgiving Eve, and the game is set to be broadcast exclusively on Netflix.
That, of course, requires a paid subscription, which is unacceptable for Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.).
A few years ago, the NFL realized Black Friday could be an option for fans to gather around their televisions, and it found another as hometown bars will be packed the night before the big holiday.
The NFL has dipped its toe into holidays, also becoming the new king of Christmas.
Netflix holds the rights to five NFL games in 2026, including the league’s first-ever game in Australia. The streaming service will have five regular-season games as well as the NFL Honors through 2029. It had been carrying two games on Christmas Day since 2024.
While Netflix's push into live sports has drawn some criticism, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the strategy is not aimed at securing full-season rights packages for any sports league.
"We’re not bidding on whole season of sports, including the NFL," Sarandos told FOX Business Network's "Mornings with Maria" on Tuesday. So far, Sarandos' comments have held true with Netflix prioritizing marquee events, including Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and the New York Yankees' opening-day shutout of the San Francisco Giants.
However, federal scrutiny into sports fragmentation has brought the topic of live sports on streaming services to the forefront.
Fox News' Chantz Martin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.