HBO Series Ballers Sees Popularity Bump After Netflix Release

Picture: HBO

Dwayne Johnson’s HBO collection Ballers has made an impression since its addition to Netflix in practically a few dozen areas in August 2023, with the present having a resurgence in recognition 4 years after the ultimate season aired.

The addition of Ballers comes a month after Netflix bought maintain of Insecure within the US (different areas picked it up in August) and appears to be the primary breakout hit from the HBO licensing deal Netflix struck over the summer time.

The so-called Netflix Bump has been nicely documented previously, with the primary ever present actually getting the label being Breaking Bad and since joined by reveals like Schitt’s Creek and Manifest.

The important premise of it’s {that a} struggling present elsewhere will be added to Netflix and immediately rocket in recognition.

So, how is Ballers doing? Let’s have a look.

According to FlixPatrol, the present has now featured within the each day Netflix high 10s in 40 international locations, with many showing every single day since its addition, together with the US. FlixPatrol additionally notes that the collection has featured within the Max high 10s for a few days since its Netflix arrival.

The present additionally featured within the world high 10s, selecting up 18.4 million hours watched (equates to three.9 million viewers) within the first week solely behind DEPP V HEARD and Painkiller.

Looking at exterior sources (typically known as demand metrics), we will see the present getting an enormous bump globally. Google Trends reveals the recognition most starkly. Looking over the previous 90 days, you’ll be able to clearly see when the present was added to Netflix, and looking out again over the previous 5 years, you’ll be able to even see when seasons 4 and 5 have been launched at HBO and that its recognition seems to be to be on the right track to be across the identical as then.

Pictures: Google Trends (90 days and 5 years) and IMDb MOVIEmeter chart for previous 3 years

The backside graph within the above graphic additionally reveals an analogous story. The MOVIEmeter is IMDb’s approach of measuring recognition based mostly on inbound site visitors to a present or film web page. There you’ll be able to see the present rocketing of their database with it probably rivaling when new seasons have been being launched.

Twitter account TV Grim Reaper maybe captured the recognition bump one of the best, citing Nielsen numbers unreleased to the general public through the highest 10s however slightly a supply that has entry to knowledge.

In his Tweet, he states viewing minutes went up by over 400x in every week:

• Between August seventh and August thirteenth, the present, whereas solely on Max (beforehand HBO Max), had just one.7 million viewing minutes.
• From August 14th to August twentieth, when the collection was each on Netflix and Max, it jumped to 696 million minutes.

Ballers

What are the takeaways from the Netflix bump? Given the present local weather, there are fairly a couple of, and even these are up for debate.

As we’ve documented from the Netflix high 10s since their operation, freshness is essential to doing nicely on Netflix. That’s seen each first of the month when Netflix’s film library rotates, and most of the older titles which can be added get a brand new lease of life. It’s additionally why Netflix is much extra aggressive in terms of including new Netflix Originals. New content material drives viewership.

Secondly, it comes at a time when the drive to profitability for legacy media firms means they’re extra determined for short-term money stream as is the case for Warner Bros. Discovery. Given the truth that Netflix’s addition appears to have even bumped the present’s recognition on Max, it looks as if a win-win.

Finally, these HBO additions come at a time when new Original content material is maybe starting to decelerate or be extra unfold out. That’s as Hollywood has to sort out its upcoming content material pipeline, which has been disrupted since at the least May 2023, being lighter as a consequence of ongoing strikes that don’t have any finish in sight. Licensing content material can be important for Netflix to fill in any gaps left by reveals and films now not in manufacturing.

Netflix has at least 4 extra HBO reveals set to hit the service within the coming months, with the seminal WW2 mini-series The Pacific and Band of Brothers subsequent lined up for the platform within the US (different areas TBD) in September 2023.