The boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul attracted 65 million households to Netflix, highlighting a significant streaming challenge that the platform will face again with the NFL.

This Christmas Day, Netflix will broadcast its first two NFL games, starting with the Kansas City Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET, followed by the Houston Texans hosting the Baltimore Ravens at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Although the number of viewers might not match the boxing event, Christmas Day is traditionally one of Netflix’s busiest periods. With notable performances scheduled from artists like Mariah Carey, Beyonce, and Pentatonix during the games, any streaming troubles experienced during the Tyson-Paul fight on November 15 are being closely monitored by both Netflix and the NFL.

When streaming live events worldwide, technical glitches are inevitable, according to streaming expert Dan Rayburn. Each internet service provider (ISP) operates differently, which complicates the streaming experience.

“Every additional viewer requires more bandwidth,” Rayburn explained to YSL News Sports.

In contrast to traditional television broadcasts, where infrastructure requirements remain static regardless of viewership, CBS does not face this same scalability issue due to its satellite broadcasting.

With over 282.3 million subscribers across more than 190 countries, even a small fraction tuning in could overwhelm Netflix’s systems.

“The boxing event was a test run for the NFL,” Rayburn noted, mentioning that scheduling the fight in July would have allowed for better preparation.

Last season, Peacock attracted 16.3 million households during the Dolphins-Chiefs playoff game, marking it as the most streamed sporting event in the U.S. at that time. However, the Tyson-Paul fight had four times that audience.

“From this experience, we’ve identified the key pressure points in our infrastructure and are taking steps to address them before the NFL games,” Netflix stated in a written response to YSL News Sports. “Some behaviors in our live streaming cannot be replicated in tests and only become apparent at substantial scale with real viewers. We are adjusting our content delivery and streaming protocols based on our findings from the fight.”

With a market cap nearing $390 billion, Netflix is strategically investing in sports without concerns about backlash.

“How often does Netflix fail for you outside of the boxing event?” Rayburn asked. “Generally, it’s very reliable.”

Netflix’s deal with the NFL for Christmas broadcasts spans three years, yet there’s no confirmation that they will air more than one game in 2025 or 2026. The games, featuring a talented array of commentators and analysts, will be produced by CBS, which has also expanded its behind-the-scenes personnel.

“Netflix has brought in highly skilled talent from competing streaming services,” Rayburn said. “YouTube TV and Netflix are recruiting experienced professionals from the live event sector.”

Another variable affecting viewer experience is the different devices used for streaming. Many issues can often be resolved by ensuring that both the device and Netflix app are updated to the latest version.

“Once Netflix begins streaming, they don’t control the device,” Rayburn pointed out. “They don’t manufacture the hardware. Is it on Roku, Apple TV, Xbox, or LG? They must ensure compatibility across all devices, which utilize various protocols and content players, and each handles caching differently.”

Netflix reported that it has maintained “collaborative relationships with ISP partners to enhance our interconnection capacity.” The company admitted that its system was “stressed” during the Tyson-Paul fight and, based on that, “we’ve made further optimizations to improve our members’ viewing experience.”

Although this will mark Netflix’s first attempt at broadcasting NFL games, the platform has previously showcased live sports, including a golf event and a match between Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal, alongside various live streams like “The Roast of Tom Brady.” Live sports clearly feature prominently in Netflix’s future plans, as they have also agreed to air the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031.

“We are thrilled about Netflix becoming an integral part of our future,” commented Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones during the Tyson-Paul fight broadcast, which took place at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.

The NFL is keen to project confidence regarding any possible large-scale connectivity issues.

“It’s a learning curve, and they’re adapting,” said NFL chief media and business officer Brian Rolapp at a recent conference. “All these new technology companies venturing into large-scale streaming are on a steep learning curve.”

Former ESPN executive and media analyst John Kosner acknowledged that minor issues are typical in the live sports industry.

“If significant problems arise, they will receive extensive media coverage,” Kosner warned YSL News Sports.

While the NFL may be concerned about streaming pitfalls, as Kosner noted, Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL will take a measured approach, viewing the long-term potential.

“They aim to establish a lasting relationship with Netflix and believe, as I do, that these issues are manageable,” Kosner concluded.

“We anticipate this will be a resolved issue by Wednesday,” Kosner stated. “Netflix is also facing significant expectations for Christmas Day as its top executives will be on hand to watch. Given the significance of the NFL, any technical difficulties could harm their reputation, making it imperative to avoid such issues.”

Amazon has streamed “Thursday Night Football” exclusively for three seasons, but its kickoff on September 15, 2022, between the Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers experienced some challenges.

“Before the COVID era, many believed that online platforms would struggle to support the scale necessary for an NFL game,” Kosner explained. “Amazon has convincingly disproven that notion, and they have excelled at it.”

YouTube TV, which has provided the “NFL Sunday Ticket” since last season, encountered a significant outage in October 2023, leading to frustration among fans.

“We’re confident in our preparations. We’ve collaborated extensively with Netflix for this,” Rolapp mentioned. “They chose the timing of their event wisely. Transitioning large-scale events to online platforms is a complex task.”

Rayburn indicated that the quality of experience (QOE) metrics will be assessed live on Wednesday, just as they were during the Tyson-Paul matchup.

“Within 24 hours after the fight concluded, Netflix had already identified precisely what required attention, and they understood how to proceed,” Rayburn noted. “This isn’t rocket science; analyzing the data doesn’t take long at all.”