The “best solution” for men in their 40s and 50s to enjoy video streaming at a reasonable price!

Netflix Subscriptions Increase 1.3-fold with WBC Coverage

The investment of approximately 15 billion yen seems to have been a success.

In August ’25, Netflix, a major subscriber video distribution service, acquired the exclusive rights to broadcast the 6th WBC held in March of this year. The broadcasting rights fee for the 5th WBC, which Samurai Japan won for the third time, was approximately 3 billion yen. Netflix spent five times that amount to make a full-scale entry into the sports distribution market.

According to research firm GEM Partners, the number of Netflix users has increased 1.3 times since the WBC broadcast.

The number of subscribers was also up by 1.3 times from the previous year. “There were many ways to keep the number of subscribers from dropping after the tournament ended, such as by interrupting the innings of Samurai Japan games with a special program by Erika Toda, 37, the star of the drama “Jigoku ni Fukeruyo yo” (I’m Going to Hell) that was distributed from the end of April. The key to the subscription business is, after all, the ongoing contract. Netflix will continue its strategy of retaining customers it has acquired by distributing national events with exciting original content,” said Masanao Kawakami, professor at the University of Hyogo’s School of International Business and Economics.

Last year, the domestic market for subscription video distribution services reached a record high estimated at 610.7 billion yen, with the largest number of users being women in their teens to thirties, and the rate of use declines as the age group increases. In this issue, we will look for the “optimal solution” for subscriber video distribution services, targeting men in their 40s and 50s, who are newly being targeted by the various companies.

Let’s start with Netflix, which boasts the largest market share not only in Japan but also in the world. The company offers three price plans: the cheapest plan with ads for 890 yen per month (including tax), the standard plan without ads for 1,590 yen, and the premium plan with higher quality and more devices available for simultaneous viewing for 2,290 yen.

Netflix’s strength is its original content, such as “The Groundhogs,” “Hell on Earth,” and “The Squid Game. The company was originally a rental DVD delivery service company in the U.S. and is a pioneer in the industry, having started a subscription-type video delivery service in ’07.

The company has captured more viewers with original works that are more stimulating and have a wider range of expression than those on television, where broadcasting codes are more restrictive. The iconic example is “House of Cards: Stairway to Ambition,” which was released in 2001,” said Soichiro Matsutani, a journalist who covers media.

The film tells the story of the main character, a U.S. congressman, who uses his scheming skills to get into the White House. The film frequently contains extreme scenes that could not be aired on television, such as extreme sexual scenes and depictions of drugs.

As mentioned earlier, Netflix is strengthening its content appealing to men in their 40s and 50s by exclusively distributing WBC.

Former TV Tokyo producer Nobuyuki Sakuma (50) created the drama variety “Talk Survivor! series, with its ample budget and a freedom not found in television, drew a great deal of laughter from viewers and became a major hit. Netflix has also secured hit makers such as Yuji Sakamoto (59), well known for his script for “Tokyo Love Story,” under an exclusive contract.

In the past, Netflix and Disney+ (1,250 to 1,670 yen, hereafter Disney+), which is operated by Disney, fought a fierce, paper-thin battle for supremacy in the industry.

“Launched in ’19, the service gained buzz with such films as the Star Wars spin-off drama “The Mandalorian” and built up its membership at the fastest pace in its history. By the fall of 2010, membership had surpassed 160 million worldwide, threatening the throne of Netflix, which had 220 million members at the time. However, the number of members has since stagnated, partly due to a shift in strategy to emphasize the theatrical release business,” said entertainment sociologist Atsuo Nakayama.

The strength of Disney Plus is the abundance of films that make use of Disney content. On the other hand, the service is difficult to access for those who are not interested in Disney’s works. ……

In the past few years, the service has attracted attention for its exclusive distribution of high-profile productions such as “Shogun” and “Gannibal,” and now that it has signed a contract with a TBS Group production and production company, it is expected to focus even more on original drama productions from Japan.

It is also expected to make a full-scale entry into sports, including live broadcasts of the NBA, which is scheduled to begin in the ’26-’27 season,” said Takei.

Masterpieces by the masters and adult as well.

Like Netflix and Disney Plus, “Prime Video” (hereinafter referred to as “Prime Video”), which is operated by the major mail-order company Amazon, produces a lot of original content.

The Boys,” about a battle between selfish and corrupt superheroes and people without special powers, and “Fallout,” a science fiction blockbuster set in a future Earth devastated by nuclear war, have won enthusiastic fans around the world.

The “Amazon Prime” subscription program (600 yen), which includes free shipping on Amazon purchases, unlimited access to e-books and 100 million songs, and Prime Video is also available. The company’s strength is its live broadcasts of MLB games, including Dodgers games, and its presence in the field of sports is growing, helped by the “Ohtani effect.

Also, unlike Netflix, the service is user-friendly in that, in addition to all-you-can-watch movies, there are many movies that can be rented for an additional fee,” said Matsutani.

In terms of low monthly fee, extensive ancillary services, and a wide range of genres available for viewing, Prime Video may surpass Netflix.

The Japanese subscription video delivery service U-NEXT offers a different kind of “cosiness” than Prime Video. The monthly fee is as high as 2,189 yen, which is close to the premium plan of Netflix, but depending on how you use it, it is one of the most economical services.

Every month, you get 1,200 yen worth of points that can be used for e-books and movie tickets. The service is strong in sports, which each company has been focusing on in recent years, and exclusively distributes the English Premier League soccer team and the four major men’s golf tournaments overseas. The company is also focusing on martial arts, including unlimited viewing of all matches of the mixed martial arts organization UFC.

U-NEXT has a department store strategy, offering a wide range of content on a single platform, including foreign dramas, animations, movies, manga, magazines, books, and adult-oriented works,” said Takei.

In 2011, U-NEXT merged its service with Paravi, a service that allows users to watch past TBS and TV Tokyo programs, so popular programs such as “Wednesday’s Downtown,” “King of Conte,” and “Godtan” are available for unlimited viewing.

Another major strength of U-NEXT is the ability to watch works by the masters, which is often not available on Netflix or Prime Video. For example, only U-NEXT offers unlimited viewing of works by famous directors of the past such as Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu at no additional charge. For those who are interested in past masterpieces rather than original content, and who also want to enjoy adult films and e-books, U-NEXT is the most cost-effective service.

Other than TBS and TV Tokyo, other key stations also have services that allow users to enjoy their respective program archives. Fans of each station’s programs subscribe to their respective services, but there is a question mark over their growth potential. In the future, there is a strong possibility that they will be integrated by a major company like Paravi,” said Matsutani.

There are many other video distribution services that meet demand, such as ABEMA Premium (680 yen with ads, 1180 yen without ads), which is operated by Internet TV company ABEMA and has strength in news programs, and dAnime Store (from 660 yen), which offers unlimited access to over 7200 anime titles. to find the most cost-effective and optimal solution for you.

From the June 5 and 12, 2026 issue of FRIDAY