Netflix counts as an undisputed streamer that hosts an incredible range of on-demand content, and it’s fighting a $50 million class-action lawsuit over the streamer’s inability to air the highly publicized Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match without incident. The fight, expected to be one for the ages and watched by millions, was staged on November 15, 2024, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, but was marred by problems; this marked Netflix’s largest leap into live sports and outraged more than a few million viewers.
The fight, which pulled in an estimated 108 million total viewers and 65 million live streams, had been one of the year’s most highly publicized sports events. But beyond the marquee headliner pitting boxing legend Tyson against YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Paul, the co-headlining match between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano made history as the most-watched professional women’s sporting event in U.S. history. Possibly monumental by any projection, record viewership aside, the broadcast was plagued by severe technical difficulties, including those involving buffering, login failures, and inaccessibility.
There were over 97,000 complaints recorded on Downdetector.com during peak issues of the event, while social media platforms were loaded with fans frustrated and using hashtags such as #NetflixCrash.
Filed by Florida resident Ronald “Blue” Denton on November 18, 2024, the class-action lawsuit accused the company of breach of contract for failing to provide its subscribers with “seamless streaming.” The subscribers complained of some “legendary problems,” such as glitches that left many viewers unable to watch the broadcast. Denton is representing a nationwide class of Netflix subscribers against the streamer, and he is seeking $50 million in damages.
“The public came to view ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson versus Jake Paul. What they got instead was ‘The Baddest Streaming on the Planet’,” the lawsuit says, pointing to Netflix’s failure at handling this never-before-seen demand.
Social media went into overdrive during the fight, where the hashtag #NetflixCrash trended across all platforms. The fans were peeved and went to social media to accuse the platform of compromising their viewing experience. Even Jake Paul managed to mention the debacle during his post-fight press conference, hailing Netflix engineers for rushing to fix some of the problems but admitting disruptions lowered the level of the successful event.
Netflix has acknowledged the technical failures, blaming the scale of the event. Added Lee-Anne Mulholland, Netflix Vice President of Regulatory Affairs: “We don’t want to dismiss the poor experience of some members and know we have room for improvement, but still consider this event a huge success.
The company has assured those watching that it is interested in improving the live-streaming infrastructure, with a assurance of a better experience in subsequent events.
This is not a good omen for Netflix, which is on an overdrive to enter the live sports segment. Part of its ambitious plans includes streaming NFL games on Christmas Day, including a doubleheader featuring the Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, and Houston Texans.
Sources close to Netflix reportedly assured the NFL that repairs have been made to resolve the technical problems that caused buffering and it would not interfere with the holiday broadcasts. The lawsuit nonetheless underlines the high stakes involved in live-streaming major events and faultless execution to retain subscriber trust.
Notwithstanding the streaming problems, Jake Paul won against iconic boxer Mike Tyson in a fight that kept millions hooked. The women’s co-main event between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano made history, too, breaking viewership records. Netflix’s situation highlights how onerous it is for streamers to manage events that are in high demand. An interruption-free user experience will become more and more vital as more broadcasters transition to live digital sports. The lawsuit acts as an important reminder of the poker-like stakes involved in it all, with fallout aplenty when there is a technical misstep.
