Big night coming for Netflix subscribers in the UK

Netflix subscribers in the UK will watch Tyson Fury fight Anthony Joshua on 11 December at no extra cost.

Investment manager Quilter Cheviot said the fight shows how live events can bring new viewers to Netflix, after the streamer reported 12% year-on-year revenue growth in its latest quarterly results.

“There is plenty coming through the content slate to help on that front, including Emily in Paris and East of Eden, while the Fury versus Joshua fight shows how selected live events can complement Netflix’s traditional offering and potentially bring a different audience onto the platform,” said Ben Barringer, Head of Technology research at Quilter Cheviot.

The all-British heavyweight bout takes place at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, and Netflix will stream it live around the world with no charge on top of a standard membership. Netflix has confirmed there will be no separate pay-per-view fee for subscribers in the UK.

The cheapest UK plan, Standard with adverts, now costs £7.99 a month following a price rise in September, while Premium costs £20.99.

Joshua’s 2024 fight against Francis Ngannou cost UK viewers £19.95 on pay-per-view through DAZN.

Viewers should expect the main event to begin in the early hours of Saturday 12 December, UK time. Eddie Hearn, who promotes Joshua, has said the fight will start later than usual to reach a larger worldwide audience.

“People talk about a 3am BST fight? I don’t think you’ll see the fight that late,” said Eddie Hearn, Chairman of Matchroom Sport. All 80,000 tickets sold out in roughly an hour on 9 October, with face values ranging from £88.50 to £13,128 including fees.

Fury brings a record of 36 wins, two defeats and one draw to Cardiff, while Joshua holds 30 wins and four defeats. The pair will contest the WBA “Super” heavyweight title.

Netflix also streamed Fury’s win over Arslanbek Makhmudov in April and Joshua’s victory over Jake Paul last December.

Netflix shares fell after the results despite the revenue growth, and its 34.6% operating margin beat the company’s own forecast.

“Netflix is still the leader in streaming, but the competitive landscape for people’s attention is much broader than streaming alone, particularly with the growth of short-form video. Netflix needs to make sure its content is good enough to keep people watching rather than simply maintaining their subscription,” the firm said.

Barringer also pointed to Peter Rice, formerly of Disney and Fox, joining Netflix as a development to watch for its content strategy.

“It also remains reasonably priced for what consumers are getting. On a cost-per-hour basis, there is a huge amount of entertainment available for the monthly subscription, and that continues to make Netflix an attractive proposition even as the streaming market matures,” Barringer added.

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