A couple of weeks back, we reported on a study that concluded that more people wanted to watch Game of Thrones than any other cable show around (note that the study didn’t say anything about how many people are actually watching Game of Thrones, just how many people talked about wanting to watch it). That study also noted that, if Game of Thrones was removed from the equation, Netflix had the most demanded show around.
At the UBS Global Media Conference, a moderator brought up this study, or a similar one, to Netflix chief creative officer Ted Sarandos, asking whether the executive was pleased that Netflix would have the second biggest show on cable if measured traditionally, behind only Game of Thrones. Sarandos replied that people may not have all the facts.
"We’re pleased to take the number two spot, but think it’s number one because they don’t measure all the devices."
So basically he’s saying that there’s some show on Netflix that is more watched than Game of Thrones. We don’t know which one it might be (Daredevil? Narcos?) because Netflix is very secretive when it comes to its viewership numbers, but there it is. Sarandos also offered anecdotal evidence of Netflix’s popularity by saying that Aziz Ansari, star of Netflix’s Master of None, can’t walk down the streets of New York City since the show premiered, although I’m sure any number of Game of Thrones cast members could tell their own stories about being mobbed by fans.
We know from experience that this guy can’t go anywhere without being photographed.
This is just the latest face-off between HBO and Netflix, which have been jockeying for position as the world’s premiere content provider/producer since Netflix started its massive expansion plan a few years back (the headline says this is Round 2, but it’s really more like Round 23). Both companies are cagey about revealing their numbers, but as of this past summer, Netflix reportedly had around 65 million subscribers, while HBO had around 138 million at the end of last year. HBO is also the more profitable of the companies, but Netflix is growing faster, both in terms of subscribers and content—Netflix is looking to double its number of scripted shows by next year.
We’re sure to see this particular pissing match continue. There’s one thing HBO does have over Netflix, though: Game of Thrones was the most talked-about TV show on Facebook during 2015, according to Mashable. The only Netflix offering was Orange is the New Black, which claimed the number 10 slot.
"1. Game of Thrones2. The Walking Dead3. The Daily Show4. Saturday Night Live5. WWE Raw6. The Simpsons7. 19 Kids and Counting8. Grey’s Anatomy9. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver10. Orange is the New Black"
Sarandos did not provide a comment, because we didn’t ask him for one.