Netflix’s big night with Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson on November 15 brought in some of the highest viewership numbers of the year – but not without major headaches for viewers.
The highly anticipated fight between the social media star and the boxing legend quickly became a global spectacle, yet was plagued by relentless buffering and connectivity issues. Fans across the world voiced their frustration online, and for some WWE fans, it raises serious questions about Netflix’s upcoming live wrestling event set for January.
According to Fightful Select, WWE sources immediately took note of Netflix’s technical hiccups. Sources said Netflix assured WWE it will have things under control by the time the wrestling event airs, but one WWE higher-up joked that “if we were ever doing the type of traffic Mike Tyson and Jake Paul were doing, that would be a good problem to have.”
This isn’t the first time Netflix has faced such issues; the Love is Blind live finale also suffered similar streaming problems earlier this year, making some wonder if Netflix is ready for the world of live sports.
Interestingly, sources revealed that when Netflix was pushing the OVW Wrestlers show, they even floated the idea of a live wrestling event to test streaming capabilities. Perhaps now, with one of their biggest live events of 2024 exposing platform vulnerabilities, Netflix will invest more resources to ensure their systems are ready for WWE’s fan base in January.
In the end, Netflix may have pulled off one of the most-watched live events of the year, but at what cost? The streaming giant now has a lot to prove to fans as it gears up for WWE’s live debut in January. Will they deliver seamless streaming or will wrestling fans be left frustrated like Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson viewers? One thing’s for sure: the pressure is on, and all eyes will be watching—buffering or not.
What do you think – is Netflix up to the challenge of live wrestling? Let us know if you’re excited for the event or if you have concerns about their live-streaming quality!
November 16, 2024 9:32 pm
