'Wow, that's a lot of money' - how Netflix reacted to Amazon's knockout bid for Jeremy Clarkson
Amazon/PA
Chief executive Reed Hastings admitted that Netflix wanted to sign Clarkson and his co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May after they left the BBC.
He suggested, however, that the company was unwilling to match Amazon's reported £160 million ($210 million) offer for the trio, who are now making "The Grand Tour."
Speaking to The Guardian, Hastings said Netflix was surprised at the value of Amazon's bid for the motoring show, which will debut later this year.
He said: "We bid on Jeremy Clarkson's show and they bid more. By the time they won it, we were like: 'Wow, that's a lot of money.' Maybe it'll work for them, it might well. It could be a great show. You can't tell until you've seen it."
Business Insider has asked Amazon for comment.
Hastings was philosophical in defeat, arguing that Netflix will emerge victorious for other brands. He cited the battle with Channel 4 for Charlie Brooker's dystopian drama "Black Mirror."
Hastings said he is an Amazon Prime subscriber, but sees the company in the same way as every other rival.
"I use Amazon all the time - I am a Prime user, when they have a good show I'll watch that - but my sense is that they are just one more competitor amongst many," he said.
Reflecting on Netflix's disappointing earnings last month, which resulted in the company's share price diving more than 15%, Hastings was not panicked.
"Everyone realises that internet video is the future. I don't think [the markets] are worried, but there was disappointment about us having less growth than we expected," he said.
"That's definitely true, but it's just one quarter. The key in success is thinking long term and not worrying over one quarter."
- 2 states where home prices are falling because there are too many houses and not enough buyers
- US buys 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Russia's ally costing on average less than $20,000 each, report says
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- 9 health benefits of drinking sugarcane juice in summer
- 10 benefits of incorporating almond oil into your daily diet
- From heart health to detoxification: 10 reasons to eat beetroot
- Why did a NASA spacecraft suddenly start talking gibberish after more than 45 years of operation? What fixed it?
- ICICI Bank shares climb nearly 5% after Q4 earnings; mcap soars by ₹36,555.4 crore