Written by Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images for Netflix © 2024
While the fight-watching world was experiencing technical difficulties through the main card of Friday’s Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul event, Netflix appears to have been taking a victory lap.
The blockbuster card at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, was shown in over 60 million households, according to a press release on Saturday. Paul earned a unanimous decision over Tyson in a lackluster affair that left fans scratching their heads, but that reaction seemed to pale in comparison to how upset people were with the streaming issues the card presented.
Bloomberg revealed an internal memo sent by Netflix Chief Technology Officer Elizabeth Stone to employees, where they are celebrating the success of the event, and the handling of the trending streaming mishaps.
“This unprecedented scale created many technical challenges, which the launch team tackled brilliantly by prioritizing stability of the stream for the majority of viewers,” Stone wrote.
“I’m sure many of you have seen the chatter in the press and on social media about the quality issues.
“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.”
Friday night’s card was the first live combat sports event streamed on the platform. Netflix will be the home of WWE’s Monday Night Raw in January, and will likely be a player in the upcoming TV rights sweepstakes for the UFC.