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Netflix Shuns Live Sports but Embraces Sports Documentaries



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By the fourth season of Netflix’s documentary series about Formula 1, “Drive to Survive,” the streaming company had plenty of evidence that it was onto something: Ratings and attendance for Grand Prix events, as well as merchandise sales, were surging.So Netflix executives began discussions with the show’s producers: What other sports are out there?“It really showed us that the ceiling was much higher than we might have thought,” said Brandon Riegg, the Netflix vice president of nonfiction series.On Wednesday, Netflix’s latest sports documentary series, “Full Swing,” which focuses on men’s professional golf, will become available, just weeks after its tennis-focused series, “Break Point,” debuted.For years, Netflix executives have resisted paying for the rights to carry live sports, even as streaming rivals like Amazon, Apple and YouTube have chased them aggressively. Netflix is instead pursuing a more modest strategy, building out a sports lineup focused …

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