The highly anticipated boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul on Friday evening was a major test for Netflix’s live streaming capabilities. Unfortunately, the event was marred by technical issues, with many viewers experiencing freezing and buffering problems.
Glitches Plague Live Streaming of Tyson-Paul Match
The 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-professional-boxer Jake Paul emerged victorious in the eight-round match against the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. However, the real story of the evening was not the outcome of the fight but rather the struggles that Netflix faced in delivering a smooth live streaming experience to its audience.
Viewers took to social media to express their frustration with the glitches, using the hashtag #NetflixCrash on X (formerly Twitter). According to Downdetector, over 1 million reports of Netflix issues were received from 50 countries, including 530,000 reports in the United States. The problems peaked at around 11 p.m. Eastern.
Tyson-Paul Match Was Biggest Test for Netflix’s Live Infrastructure
The Tyson-Paul match was a significant event for Netflix, with over 120 million people tuning in live. While Netflix does not release selective data about its viewership, the company stated that 60 million households watched the fight live, with concurrent streams peaking at around 65 million.
This marked the biggest test of Netflix’s live infrastructure to date, and it is clear that the platform struggled to keep up with the demand. The issues were not limited to the United States; reports came in from all over the world, highlighting the global reach of Netflix’s problems.
Netflix’s History of Live Streaming Issues
This was not the first time that Netflix has encountered live streaming issues. Last year, the broadcast of the Season 4 reunion of "Love Is Blind" was delayed by more than an hour due to technical difficulties. Since then, Netflix has been ramping up its live lineup with exhibition golf and tennis matches, live talk shows, and awards ceremonies.
However, it seems that the platform still needs to work on improving its live streaming capabilities. The Tyson-Paul match was a major event, and the issues that occurred were likely due to the sheer number of concurrent streams.
What’s Next for Netflix?
Netflix now has a little over a month to make improvements before airing two NFL games on Christmas Day, followed by WWE Raw in January. It will be interesting to see how the platform addresses these issues and ensures a smoother experience for its viewers.
In an interview after the match, Paul said, "This is the biggest event. Over 120 million people on Netflix. We crashed the site."
While it may have been a setback for Netflix, the company can take this as an opportunity to improve its live streaming infrastructure and provide a better experience for its users in the future.
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About Anthony Ha
Anthony Ha is TechCrunch’s weekend editor. Previously, he worked as a tech reporter at Adweek, a senior editor at VentureBeat, a local government reporter at the Hollister Free Lance, and vice president of content at a VC firm. He lives in New York City.
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