Jake Paul and Mike Tyson (Image via Netflix)

Netflix comes under fire as class action lawsuit filed against Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson fight glitches

Modified Nov 20, 2024 06:36 GMT

The November 15, 2024, Netflix-streamed boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson at AT&T Stadium set a record as the most-streamed global sporting event, with over 108 million viewers and 65 million live streams. Despite its success, it faced backlash for streaming issues.

Netflix faced an overwhelming surge of complaints during the fight. Issues ranging from login failures to endless buffering bothered users well before the fight between Paul and Tyson. Downdetector.com recorded over 5,000 complaints at the beginning of the event, which grew to 90,000 at its highest point.

In the middle of all the commotion, a class-action lawsuit was filed on Monday, November 18, 2024, as reported by TMZ Sports. The suit claimed that streaming performance on fight night was riddled with "legendary problems, including no access, streaming glitches, and buffering issues." The lawsuit alleges a breach of contract, adding legal woes to the company's technical misstep

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Who filed the class action lawsuit against Netflix?

The class-action lawsuit against Netflix was initiated by Ronald "Blue" Denton, who officially filed the case on November 18, 2024. Denton described his viewing experience as plagued by severe disruptions, including glitches and lack of access to the much-hyped fight.

He accused the platform of breaching its contract with subscribers who expected a seamless viewing experience for the high-profile event. Denton's lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, alleging that Netflix failed to deliver on its promise to provide reliable streaming for the event.

The legal filing underscores the frustration experienced by countless subscribers, many of whom took to social media to voice their frustration during the live broadcast.

The platform hasn't made any public comments about the lawsuit yet. Because of its reputation and plans for more live sports events, the company is under intense scrutiny. Industry observers are keenly awaiting Netflix’s response, which could influence how such disputes are handled in the realm of live-streamed sports.

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What happened during the Paul vs. Tyson fight?

The Paul vs. Tyson fight, despite being a big event, had major technical problems.

Frustrated viewers took to social media, with hashtags like #NetflixCrash trending as the streaming giant struggled to meet expectations. Despite the glitches, the fight proceeded, culminating in Jake Paul defeating Mike Tyson by unanimous decision, with a score of 79-73.

Other fights on the card, including the Amanda Serrano vs. Katie Taylor, also achieved remarkable milestones but were overshadowed by the streaming issues.

The streaming giant couldn't manage the overwhelming demand, which made what could have been a perfect event not so perfect. The fight's record-breaking viewership now serves as a double-edged sword, emphasizing both its popularity and the platform’s unpreparedness for handling live events at such scale.

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Netflix considers fight streaming to be a success

Despite the widespread backlash, Netflix’s Chief Technology Officer, Elizabeth Stone, has defended the streaming platform’s handling of the fight. She acknowledged the technical challenges while calling the streaming a "huge success" due to its unprecedented global viewership.

“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 stated in an interview with Men’s Journal.

She admitted that some users faced problems, but she also pointed out that more than 60 million people managed to watch the fight live without any issues.