How Much Has Licensing Deal Helped HBO Shows Sent to Stream on Netflix?
New data from Ampere Analysis shows how much HBO titles like ‘Band of Brothers’ and ‘Insecure’ have risen in popularity since becoming available on Netflix.
It’s been nearly a year since reports first surfaced that Warner Bros. Discovery was in talks with Netflix to send some HBO original titles to stream on that platform, while at the same time remaining on WBD’s platform Max. At the time the move was considered somewhat controversial, as the prevailing wisdom at the time held that media companies should keep their prized content in order to draw viewers to their own services. But months after the licensing deal between HBO and Netflix became official, new data from Ampere Analysis shows that many HBO shows doubled in popularity after being sent to stream on Netflix.
- “Ballers” saw the biggest jump in relative popularity, quadrupling its score in the month after its Netflix premiere.
- All HBO shows sent to Netflix have made an appearance on Netflix’s daily Top 10 charts with the exception of one.
- Netflix recently agreed to a new licensing deal with Disney, and is “open for business” to other deals.
HBO first got the ball rolling last summer, when it licensed shows like “Insecure,” “Ballers,” “Band of Brothers” and “Six Feet Under” to stream on Netflix. Since then they’ve been joined by other HBO originals; “Sex and the City” became the most recent HBO title to become available on the world’s largest streamer.
Ampere’s data shows that HBO series debuting on Netflix see a marked spike in popularity the month after their premiere. “Ballers” saw its popularity score more than quadruple, rising from 10 in the month before appearing on Netflix to 41 in the month that it bowed on that service. Most of the shows measured by Ampere sent from Max to Netflix saw their popularity scores at least double in the month of their arrival. Ampere’s popularity score is based on internet search volume that a given title receives.
The data from Ampere is reinforced by data released by the streaming aggregator ReelGood, which disclosed in September 2023 that “Insecure” had seen a 370% increase in engagements after coming to Netflix. All HBO shows sent to Netflix thus far have appeared in its daily Top 10 lists with the exception of “Six Feet Under,” but it was still among the 20 most popular shows on Netflix in November 2023 according to Ampere.
What Other Licensing Deals Are in Netflix’s Future?
Netflix and WBD will likely continue to do business together, given that the licensing deal has been so plainly good for both companies. But there are some titles that are highly unlikely to appear on Netflix any time soon; “Game of Thrones” could see a big spike in engagements on Max following the release of “House of the Dragon” Season 2 this summer.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has made it abundantly clear that his company is willing to entertain more licensing deals, saying in January that it was “open for business” in that regard. Disney recently agreed to a deal that will see 14 shows it owns the rights to stream on Netflix, including “Home Improvement,” “Lost” and “The Wonder Years.” Like WBD, however, Disney is not licensing its marquee brands such as Marvel, Star Wars, or Pixar, keeping them exclusive to Disney+.
The data from Ampere makes clear that most streamers who are trying to build engagement could benefit from licensing some titles to Netflix. Whether any more will do so is unclear; Paramount+ and Peacock are more concerned with a possible team-up of their streamers in a single product at the moment, and Prime Video and Apple TV+ are both operated by companies who can afford to prioritize streaming profits less highly than legacy media firms.
Netflix has more streaming customers than any other platform, with over 260 million at last count. The size of its customer base shows why other streamers would pursue licensing deals with it despite being competitors, and Ampere’s publication of data regarding the popularity of HBO shows on Netflix highlights the fruits such deals can bear.
Max
Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library, along with exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Thanks to the B/R Sports add-on, users can watch NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.