The Town with Matthew Belloni Netflix’s Price Hike and Opening Day Debut. Plus, HBO's ‘Harry Potter’ and the Millennial Nostalgia Era.
7 snips
Mar 30, 2026 
Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg media reporter who covers streaming and sports rights, joins to unpack Netflix's recent price hikes and the push toward ad-supported tiers. They dive into Netflix's foray into eventized sports with MLB Opening Day and who might buy big baseball rights in 2028. They also react to HBO's new Harry Potter trailer and place it in the wave of millennial nostalgia.
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Netflix Price Hike Pushes Users Toward Ad Tiers
- Netflix raised ad-free prices and is pushing users toward cheaper ad tiers to shift more customers into ads and increase ad scale.
- Matt notes this is Netflix's second hike in 18 months and makes it the most expensive standalone service at $20 standard and $9 ad tier.
Bifurcated Strategy Between Ad Free And Ad Supported
- Netflix is bifurcating the market: keep premium, ad-free subscribers and funnel cost-sensitive users to ad tiers to grow ad inventory.
- Lucas says Netflix's ad business lacks Amazon's scale, so they still see ad tier revenue below standard plan.
Netflix Likely To Pursue International Partnerships Not Bundles
- Netflix resists large bundles because it has leverage and scale and gains little from splitting revenue with partners.
- Lucas expects Netflix to prefer international tie‑ups with local broadcasters rather than domestic bundles.