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Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is leaving Crackle for Netflix

Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is leaving Crackle for Netflix

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Crackle just lost its best exclusive

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Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

Jerry Seinfeld is taking his interview web series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, to Netflix, according to Variety. That means Seinfeld is leaving behind Sony’s Crackle streaming service after nearly five years and nine seasons.

The move is yet another big get for Netflix, which has been courting high-profile comedians like Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Amy Schumer, and Jim Gaffigan to its platform with lucrative contract deals and an ever-growing audience. As part of his deal with Netflix, Seinfeld will also deliver two exclusive stand-up specials for the service and participate in developing scripted content down the line.

Seinfeld stuck with Sony’s Crackle for nine seasons over five years

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is currently airing its ninth season on Crackle, while the tenth season will be the first to air on Netflix by late 2017. Seinfeld’s decision was influenced by Netflix’s sizable content war chest, and also perhaps the added creative freedom. Seinfeld will be producing 24 episodes for his Netflix debut, while seasons on Crackle have fluctuated between five and six episodes since the series aired online with a round 10-episode season back in 2012. As part of the deal, Netflix will also get the rights to all 59 episodes of the web series that will have aired on Crackle by the end of the year

Seinfeld’s initial relationship with Sony dates back years, as Sony Pictures Television has owned since 2002 the distribution rights to the comedian’s titular sitcom since 2002. (Streaming rights for Seinfeld remain exclusive to Hulu.) However, it now appears Netflix is the go-to destination for comedians looking for direct distribution, a younger audience, and more leeway.

“When I first started thinking about Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, the entire Netflix business model consisted of mailing out DVDs in envelopes,” Seinfeld said in a statement issued to Variety. “I love that we are now joining together, both at very different points.”

- Source: Variety