Being the exclusive streamer of Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson could have been one of the biggest wins in Netflix’s history. It was a bout anticipated by people who have never even had an affinity for boxing. And, while it’s not known exactly how many people tuned in to watch the two go at it (Netflix is always cagey with viewership numbers), over 85,000 of them reported issues, primarily in big cities. And, naturally, many of them took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice their complaints.
For instance, CCP IS ASSHOE, who wrote “If Netflix doesn’t fix this buffering issue, this will go down as one of the biggest fails in all of tv/streaming history.” Those who replied chimed in, voicing similar concerns and similar mentalities. Like Grammy! with “It’s their first time streaming live sports and it’s a fail” and AgathaGranchio who added, “It hasn’t buffered at all for me.”
X user brad harris then added something that has become its own, dreaded by Netflix, trending hashtag: “It’s not my internet. It’s Netflix. All speed tests show super speeds. Netflix needs to fix their end asap. I never use Netflix anyway so I just think I’ll have to cancel it.”
Given the interest surrounding the event, Netflix certainly should have anticipated massive numbers, especially given the fact they were the only option for interested viewers to tune in to. Yet, many of those who use the platform still felt slighted, especially those who activated or renewed their Netflix subscription just to see the fight. Throughout the hours-long event and, it seems, throughout the following morning, the hashtags #CancelNetflix and #UnsubNetflixToday have started to trend to what must be an alarming degree for the A-list streamer.
[RELATED: Mike Tyson Goes Full Moon in Pre-Paul Fight Interview]
Of course, it’s not the first time the hashtag has trended. Netflix has upwards of 280 million subscribers worldwide, and when someone feels a service isn’t what it’s supposed to be or marketed, their first step in the digital age is to rush to their preferred social media outlet and vent their frustration. That usually takes the form of encouraging others to drop the service they feel has let them down. For instance, the hashtag trended this past July when Netflix CEO and Co-Founder Reed Hastings donated $7 million to Kamala Harris’ campaign.
But something about this round of #CancelNetflix hashtags feels different. This fight was a proving ground of sorts for the streamer, and with a single event, they’ve called into question their ability to host, as it were, live sports events to a degree of quality expected by fans. Not to mention, in the end, the main event wasn’t even much to write home about.
Those hoping the 58-year-old legend could knock some sense into and respect out of the 27-year-old YouTuber turned pro boxer were left sorely disappointed. There’s even much speculation that the fight was fixed. But there was a consolation prize (for those who could actually watch it): the clash between the victorious Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.
The post Cancel Netflix Trends After Paul vs. Tyson Streaming Issue Outrage appeared first on ComicBook.com.
