Travis Kelce is hoping that Netflix can work out the kinks before they broadcast NFL games on Christmas Day. Netflix faced significant issues during the live broadcast of the highly anticipated Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight, leaving many viewers frustrated with freezing screens and dropped streams.
With just about a month to go before the NFL Christmas Day games, Netflix is under pressure to ensure a smooth and reliable streaming experience for what will be a massive audience.
On Christmas Day, the Kansas City Chiefs, led by Travis Kelce, will face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET. Later in the day, the Baltimore Ravens will take on the Houston Texans at 4:30 p.m. ET. Both games are expected to draw huge viewership numbers, and fans are already expressing concerns over whether Netflix is up to the task of handling such a large volume of viewers.
Travis Kelce, who will be playing in one of the Christmas Day games, didn’t hold back when discussing Netflix’s performance during the Paul-Tyson fight on his podcast, “New Heights,” which he co-hosts with his brother, Jason Kelce. Travis shared his hope that the streaming giant can deliver a much better viewing experience for NFL fans.
“Hopefully Netflix can figure it out as well,” Travis said, referring to the technical issues that plagued the boxing event.
“Hopefully they get the streaming stuff right,” Jason Kelce added, echoing his brother’s sentiments.
Travis then humorously recounted his frustrations during the fight. “My s*** got froze literally on Mike Tyson’s cheeks,” Travis said, laughing. “It felt like a parody going into it.”
The brothers spent a few moments laughing about the mishap, particularly how Netflix ended up displaying a frozen frame of Tyson’s bare backside during the stream. Despite the humor, Travis emphasized the importance of Netflix stepping up its game for the upcoming NFL broadcasts.
“Hopefully Netflix, back to the point, can figure out [the streaming],” he reiterated. “Especially if we’re going to be watching all of the Christmas games on Netflix.”
Travis was clear about how frustrated he was during the boxing event. “I was pretty p***ed it kept going in and out. It kicked me off about four or five times,” he added, pointing out that a similar experience during an NFL game would be unacceptable to fans.
RELATED: Jake Paul Says He Held Back Against Mike Tyson in Netflix Fight: ‘I Didn’t Want to Hurt Him’
While Netflix’s attempt to stream the boxing event was marred by technical problems, the company has committed to making improvements before the high-profile NFL games.
Netflix’s Chief Technology Officer, Elizabeth Stone, took accountability for the flaws and assured viewers that the company is learning from the issues experienced during the fight.
“This unprecedented scale created many technical challenges, which the launch team tackled brilliantly by prioritizing the stability of the stream for the majority of viewers,” Stone wrote in a company memo. “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 we know we have room for improvement, but still consider this event a huge success.”
Netflix now has about a month to address the technical shortcomings and ensure they do not repeat them during the NFL games.
The stakes are high—Christmas Day games are a major draw, and NFL fans are notoriously unforgiving when it comes to missing even a few moments of their favorite team’s action due to technical difficulties. Ensuring a smooth, high-quality broadcast is essential for Netflix if they hope to make a successful entry into live sports streaming.
For Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce, and countless other players and fans, there is a lot riding on Netflix’s ability to deliver. The NFL has chosen a non-traditional platform for these games, and viewers will be expecting a flawless experience.
Whether Netflix can rise to the occasion remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—anything short of perfection will not go unnoticed by a passionate and vocal fanbase.
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