The NFL apologized to Canadian fans yesterday for "inadequate service" after switching part of its live distribution from "traditional television packages" to London-based streaming outfit DAZN, according to Emily Jackson of the FINANCIAL POST. DAZN in July acquired the exclusive rights to NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL RedZone after its parent company Access Industries Holdings "inked a multi-year deal with the NFL." But in DAZN's first effort on Sunday, many fans were "left frustrated by dropped feeds, choppy video with mismatched sound and 'live' streams that lagged behind the television broadcast." NFL VP/Int'l Media Michael Markovich said that the league is "urgently assessing the information and data from the weekend and will also do so for Monday night’s games." Markovich: "We will then define the right next steps." Jackson noted no DAZN exec was available yesterday to "discuss what went wrong and how it will proceed going forward." DAZN experienced similar problems in Japan when it "launched its coverage of J. League soccer" (FINANCIAL POST, 9/11). POSTMEDIA NETWORK's John Kryk noted Colts-Rams on Sunday "wasn’t available by game time on the DAZN app." Some devices "apparently can’t get any games." No matter the platform, many "complain that the streaming feed hiccups and rebuffers far too much," or the "picture is pixelated." The announcers for Chiefs-Patriots last Thursday were "muted on all platforms of the English-language DAZN feed for more than half an hour" (POSTMEDIA NETWORK, 9/11).
