The Roast of Tom Brady certainly got attention in the sports world, but it turns out the live comedy special making fun of the NFL GOAT was one of the most popular pieces of content on Netflix all year.
According to a new Netflix Engagement Report released this week, the special was viewed more than 22 million times from January to June 2024. Considering it was only available in the United States and only three hours long, the fact that the roast ranked 32nd overall and tops in the comedy category shows just how much the NFL-adjacent show broke through.
The Roast of Tom Brady aired live on May 5, was viewed 5 million times more times than the latest Dave Chapelle stand-up act and more than twice as much as the latest Katt Williams special.
On the sports side, the Brady roast led a popular slate of sports programming on Netflix as the streamer continues its investment in sports-focused content ahead of breaking into live sports over the next several months with NFL and WWE deals.
The sixth season of Formula 1 docuseries Drive To Survive was viewed nearly 12 million times, while a new series on the Dallas Cowboys cheerleading squad titled America’s Sweethearts was viewed 6 million times.
Netflix will air two NFL games on Christmas Day, coproduced with CBS Sports, and its deal with WWE Raw starts in January. Buzzy documentaries on the NBA, WWE and Boston Red Sox were recently announced in partnership with big names like Peyton Manning, Bill Simmons and Dan Le Batard.
With broadcast rights for Major League Baseball up in 2028 and smaller carve-out deals constantly cropping up across sports, expect the popularity of content like the Brady roast and its numerous sports docuseries to drive Netflix toward more bids for live sports rights in the future.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.