The Chargers’ season opener in Sao Paulo, Brazil, would be the NFL’s first recreation streamed solely on YouTube, the league introduced Tuesday, additional increasing the NFL’s streaming footprint to incorporate the ever-present free video platform.
Regardless of now having a house crew and TV companion for the matchup, the Chargers’ opponent was the one piece of the NFL’s seven-game worldwide slate that was not introduced Tuesday. Entrance Workplace Sports activities reported the Chargers will face AFC West rival Kansas Metropolis on Sept. 5 at Enviornment Corinthians. The Chiefs have gained seven consecutive video games towards the Chargers whereas turning into one of many league’s hottest TV attracts.
Kansas Metropolis star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight finish Travis Kelce have been on the middle of the NFL’s expanded streaming affect final 12 months because the Chiefs performed within the league’s Christmas Day takeover of Netflix. The doubleheader that additionally featured Houston taking part in Baltimore drew a median of 26.5 million viewers, which made them the most-streamed NFL video games in U.S. historical past. However the scores lagged barely behind latest linear broadcasts. In 2023, the NFL boasted its most-watched Christmas Day recreation since 1989 with the Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders drawing 29.2 million viewers on CBS.
Final season, the Chargers confronted the Arizona Cardinals in a “Monday Night Football” recreation that was the primary ESPN+ unique to not be included within the worldwide collection.
Performed because the second recreation of a staggered doubleheader that featured a matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens, the Chargers’ loss to the Cardinals attracted lower than 2 million viewers, in accordance with NBC’s Professional Soccer Speak, which made it the least-watched NFL recreation since 2008.
Placing a star-studded division matchup at a impartial web site on Friday of Week 1 would take away a marquee recreation from the Chargers’ SoFi Stadium slate. Whereas native followers would miss the extremely anticipated rivalry recreation, the Chargers will nonetheless host the Tremendous Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and NFC rookie of the 12 months Jayden Daniels, the San Bernardino native who led the Washington Commanders to their first NFC championship recreation look since 1991 final season.
The house schedule additionally options AFC West counterparts Las Vegas and Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Minnesota. On the highway, the Chargers will play their three AFC West rivals, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Dallas, the New York Giants and Miami.
The rest of the schedule can be launched Wednesday at 5 p.m. PDT.
