Netflix Takes Westminster Dog Show Rights

Netflix has locked down the next home for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, pulling a legacy television event into the streaming era.

The new deal makes Netflix the dog show’s telecast partner starting with the 151st edition in early 2027 in New York, according to reports. The move follows the end of Fox Sports’ 10-year run as the exclusive broadcaster, marking a clear handoff from traditional sports television to a platform better known for on-demand entertainment and live-event expansion.

The significance reaches beyond dog-show fans. Westminster stands as one of the country’s most recognizable annual competition broadcasts, and its shift gives Netflix another piece of appointment viewing as streamers race to build audiences around live programming. Reports indicate the agreement positions Netflix to showcase an event with deep brand recognition and a built-in multigenerational audience.

The Westminster Dog Show’s jump to Netflix shows how even the most tradition-bound TV events now follow audiences onto streaming platforms.

That transition also says something about the current media market. Long-running rights deals once defaulted to cable and broadcast sports networks; now streamers see value in events that deliver loyal viewers, repeat visibility, and cultural familiarity. Netflix has spent recent years widening its live portfolio, and Westminster gives it a polished, annual event that already arrives with history, ritual, and mainstream appeal.

The next test will come in early 2027, when Netflix must prove it can preserve the show’s broad accessibility while introducing it to a streaming-first audience. That matters not just for Westminster, but for every established live event weighing whether its future still sits on linear television or has already moved online.