Fans and regulators left outraged by problems streaming during broadcasts of several Italian top flight matches
Fixtures affected included Fiorentina's 4-0 home defeat to current league leaders Napoli, and the 1-1 draw between Lazio and Torino. Interruptions often last several minutes and have been ongoing since the start of the season.
Not only have consumers been miffed by these snags but the situation has also drawn the attention of national media regulators in the country. Italian communications authority Agcom has opened an investigation into the matter and it has even been discussed in Italy's parliament.
To make matters worse for the live streaming company, the news has been widely reported by national and international news outlets alike, which could have a damaging affect on the brand's image. With every gameweek that such problems persist, the image of DAZN changes from one of a "disruptor" changing the face of sports broadcasting through innovation to one who simply disrupts fans ability to watch full matches uninterrupted.
In response DAZN, who are owned by British-American billionaire Len Blavatnik, have offered to pay a one-month refund to any subscriber who requests it. This is the right thing to do but it's hard to say whether this appeasement will pay off in the long run if such difficulties continue. For now the company is losing face and losing money.
However, several outside analysts believe the problem will go away in the long run and are also quick to deflect blame from DAZN. Francois Godard of Enders Analysis, instead lays responsibility at the door of the telecoms giant responsible for the country's broadband infrastructure, TIM, which has also sponsored Serie A for over 20 years.
Godard says “Certainly the fault is with Telecom Italia, it’s just that it doesn’t look good, commercial wise, marketing wise. When you have technology problems, people don’t rush to buy your product.”
It's a tricky start to what was meant to be a crowning moment for the fledgling media company who secured exclusive domestic rights to Serie A back in March, in a deal worth €2.5bn, which will run until 2024. DAZN became the first online only platform to secure such a deal and many saw the agreement as a watershed moment in the industry. It still might be but for now there are some growing pains.
Despite these hiccups, DAZN is also said to be in talks to buy BT Sport which would see it finally realise its long term goal of entering the British market and securing Premier League football for its platform. It remains to be seen how those talks will develop but needless to say that football live streaming is never boring when DAZN are involved.
Watch Serie A via live streaming with Bet 365 without interruption
One way to watch Serie A matches without any issues is with the world's favourite sports betting brand. With Bet 365 you can watch all Serie A fixtures via their live streaming service on their website and mobile app. Just click the video icon next to the match of your choosing and you are away. As well as offering live coverage, Bet 365 also provide up-to-date stats so you can keep up with the action every step of the way. Whether you get your kicks from top-of-the-table clashes between Juventus and Inter, or the battle for European qualification involving teams like Atalanta, AC Milan and Roma, you can get access to all games all season online and on mobile.
Go to Bet 365 and to start live streaming today.
Stay up-to-date with all things football at Sporticos
We provide data, stats and analysis of games from across the world; a comprehensive TV guide which tells you exactly when and where you can watch your favourite teams in action; trusted, legal sources of live streaming, breaking news and so much more.
Check out our Live Football on TV page.
Here's our Football Live Streaming page.
