Should the NBA abandon its Christmas Day games? Ian Eagle weighs in

Ian Eagle was probably no stranger to NFL audiences before Wednesday, when Netflix tapped him for play-by-play duties on its landmark Chiefs-Steelers broadcast. Eagle, 55, called his first NFL game for CBS in 2010 and does play-by-play for Thursday Night Football on Westwood One.

For anyone still unfamiliar with Eagle's sense of humor, Wednesday's game offered a proper introduction:

Eagle's body of work in the NBA is longer, both as a national play-by-play broadcaster on TNT and the Brooklyn Nets' lead voice on the YES Network. His versatility made him a natural go-to for Netflix's first foray into live sports. A strong debut on the NFL side could lead Eagle to NBA assignments with Netflix in the future.

For now, Netflix has to decide how to proceed in live sports — and when. It will soon begin streaming WWE events in 2025. In 2027 and 2031, it will stream the FIFA Women's World Cup. Will it be back on Christmas with NFL games in the future?

Historically, Christmas Day in the U.S. has belonged to the NBA, which makes Eagle the perfect person to weigh in on the debate. Should the NFL return to Netflix next Christmas? Or should it heed the words of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who in his postgame interview with ESPN on Wednesday said "I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day"?

In an interview with Austin Karp and Mollie Callihane on the Sports Media Podcast, Eagle laid out his take.

"It's a legitimate question," he said. "I think the NBA has obviously owned the holiday for a long, long time. I don't think you just back away after a year or two and say, well, it's over. You continue to accumulate data. You continue to do everything in your power to get the word out to your fan base. And you also have to see where the market dictates. It's not a simple issue. It's a bit more complicated than that.

"That, to me, will be determined over time based on eyeballs and based on interest," Eagle continued. "The NBA still has a very interested fan base that gets up for these games. There is a special feeling in regards to anyone that's been a fan of basketball and has memories of watching their team play or the best player in the league play. But, it's an evolving time in sports. And just because it worked five years ago, 10 years ago, 15 years ago, doesn't mean that it's going to work forever. So, not a simple answer."

Eagle then offered one prediction for how the NBA will respond to Netflix's Christmas Day debut.

"I don't believe the NBA is going to take their ball and go home," he said. "I do think there's still an interest in maintaining a presence and being a part of something that's been synonymous with their league for so long."

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