Davis-Garcia Stream Breaks DAZN & Customers Are Left With Multiple Charges
Saturday’s fight between Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia was so massive that the DAZN PPV stream did not work for many and charged those customers up to 9 times for the event.
DAZN is having a hard few days as not only did one of their most recognizable fighters (Ryan Garcia) take a loss, but the stream did not work for many DAZN subscribers who wanted to take advantage of the 60-dollar price tag versus paying $84.99 on Showtime or PPV.com. The issue was frustrating, and DAZN tweeted a message acknowledging the problem and said they were working on it. At a later point, DAZN even suggested that the issue was resolved, but some subscribers were still posting on Twitter that they couldn’t access the stream.
#DAZNREFUND needs to happen. Plenty of people I know also ran into the same issue of not being able to see #DavisGarcia while also being charged 6 times. This is a huge problem especially right before #CaneloRyder . They may be forced to take it off PPV and make it regular DAZN
— Abraham Gonzalez (@abeG718) April 25, 2023
If that wasn’t an issue enough, those who submitted a trouble ticket through DAZN’s virtual assistant were told they would receive an answer within 24 hours, which has not happened. DAZN does not have anyone you can speak to, and their live chat continually mentions that no one is available to help at this time.
Here lies the issue. For those that don’t know, when DAZN started back in 2016, they sold everyone on the business model that “PPV is dead” while also saying that they would put on the best fights for the low price of $9.99 a month. DAZN created a commercial that made its way around social media, essentially burying the PPV model.
As DAZN started their spending spree of signing fighters and paying them above market price, DAZN was forced to increase the monthly subscription to $19.99 a month or $99.00 a year to keep the doors open so to speak. Even then, the legacy subscribers were allowed to keep the same rate as long as they did not cancel their subscription, which only lasted less than a year before everyone paid the same.
Then years later, after the contracts of those initially signed during its inception ran out or were bought out, DAZN backtracked and started to do PPV events on their platform on top of the subscription, following a model that ESPN+, FITE Tv, and more use. It was a hard pill to swallow, but fans did it as they produced good fights that would quiet any complaining about putting on a PPV. In February, DAZN sent a press release, and the new prices increased again. “What is the new pricing proposition? From 16-Feb new subscribers in the US will be charged $24.99 a month or $224.99 for an entire year, or you can sign up to DAZN’s new 12-monthly plan for $19.99 a month, equating to a lower yearly total of $239.88 (from DAZN.com).”
Will DAZN respond to the public demand for answers?
The irony is that during the negotiations for Davis vs. Garcia, the sticking point was the networks and who would host the event. For a while, DAZN was adamant that it should be them, but ultimately, they agreed that Showtime would take the lead, but DAZN could broadcast it as a PPV on their platform as well. On the night of the fight, as this happened to me as well, when purchasing the PPV, the screen said thank you for the purchase, but when clicking on the image to start the stream, it would return to the original screen asking if you wanted to resume the event. The fight was such a big event that DAZN’s system could not handle the volume. They weren’t as prepared as they should have been for one of boxing’s biggest nights.
Will this PPV be affected by DAZN’s recent issues?
This issue was exclusive to DAZN USA, and those living across the pond who could view it on Sky had no problems. Many subscribers submitted their help tickets on Sunday, and as we approach the 72-hour mark tomorrow morning, there is still no answer from DAZN. It’s probably why they received a D- score from the Better Business Bureau organization. DAZN has a significant problem on its hands.
This is from my actual DAZN account.
With Canelo Alvarez vs. John Ryder PPV only 11 days away, this may dramatically affect the buys for that event, especially if the subscribers don’t have the confidence that DAZN will not only have a good stream but that they won’t be charged up to 9 times for the same event after hitting the button only once. DAZN, get your house in order. I’m not a PBC or Showtime undercover agent looking to expose DAZN. I’m just a subscriber like everyone else who didn’t get what they paid for and was charged multiple times for it too.
(The CEO of DAZN, Joe Markowski, was quote tweeted in my original post and allowed an opportunity to answer questions surrounding the situation. If a response is given, the story will then be updated.)
You can follow Abe on Twitter & Instagram @abeg718 and subscribe to “The Boxing Rush Hour Show” podcast on all streaming platforms.
