The Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul event experienced streaming issues but was still considered a success by Netflix, which celebrated its handling of technical challenges during its first live combat sports stream, seen in over 60 million households.
While fight fans were grappling with technical glitches during Friday’s Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul main card, Netflix seemed to be celebrating a win of its own.
The event, held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas—home to the Dallas Cowboys—was broadcasted to over 60 million households. Despite Paul clinching a unanimous decision over Tyson in what many considered a dull match, the streaming issues stirred more buzz than the fight itself.
Bloomberg leaked an internal memo from Netflix’s Chief Technology Officer, Elizabeth Stone, who praised the team for managing the event’s massive scale and addressing the streaming hiccups.
“The unprecedented scale posed numerous technical challenges,” Stone mentioned. “The launch team prioritized stream stability for most viewers brilliantly.”
“You’ve probably seen the buzz in the media and on social platforms about quality issues,” she added.
“We acknowledge some members had a poor experience and recognize there’s room for improvement. Yet, we still view this as a significant success.”
This was Netflix’s debut live combat sports event. Exciting times ahead! The platform will host WWE’s Monday Night Raw come January and is likely eyeing UFC’s upcoming TV rights negotiations.