Netflix, for the first time, will be joining the 2017 rendition of Xfinity Watchathon Week, Comcast’s annual, free VOD binge-fest, used in part to drum up interest in TV series ahead of their season premieres.
The fifth annual Watchathon from Comcast, set run from April 3 to 9, will feature shows from more than 50 networks. The addition of Netflix will provide one-click access to Netflix original series such as House of Cards, Orange Is The New Black, Stranger Things, and The Crown. Comcast integrated Netflix onto its X1 set-top platform late last year, and is in the process of integrating Sling TV and YouTube. About half of Comcast’s video sub base is on X1.
RELATED: Comcast Sets Another ‘Watchathon Week’Update:Comcast confirmed that all X1 customers, whether they subscribe to Netflix or not, will be able to access Netflix content during the Watchathon promo.
Examples of other networks and shows to play part include ABC’s Designated Survivor, NBC’s This Is Us, Fox’s 24: Legacy, History’s SIX, Starz’s Black Sails, Syfy’s The Magicians, and Bravo’s Imposters.
Other networks on board to participate include A&E, AMC, Animal Planet, BBCA, BET, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CMT, CNBC, CNN, Comedy Central, Crackle, The CW, Discovery, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, Food Network, FOX, FreeForm, FX, FXX, FYI, GSN, HGTV, HISTORY, ID, IFC, Lifetime, Logo, MLB Network, MTV, National Geographic, OWN, Oxygen, PBS, Science, Showtime, Spike, Sprout, TBS, TLC, TNT, Tru TV, TV Land, USA, VH1, Viceland, We TV and WGNA.
“With more than 50 participating networks and the addition of Netflix, we are thrilled to bring Xfinity TV customers the biggest and best binge watching event for the fifth year in a row,” Andy Hunter, vice president, programming at Comcast Cable, said in a statement. “The focus of Xfinity Watchathon Week is to provide complete, unlimited access to the best programming and give our customers the ability to sample, binge and explore everything our content partners have to offer.”
For the 2016 iteration, Comcast said customers watched a record 71 million hours of content tied to the Watchathon Week promotion across its set-top, Web and mobile apps platforms. During last year’s Watchathon, HBO’s Game of Thrones was the top TV series viewed, followed by Starz’s The Girlfriend Experience and Outlander; Fox’s Empire, HBO’s Girls; Vikings (via History and Streampix); Cinemax’s Banshee; MTV’s Teen Mom 2; A&E’s 60 Days In; and Starz’s Black Sails.
