Attention surrounding Mike Tyson has in recent years mostly been about drugs and violence. As a boxer, he was one of the greatest, but for some, he will primarily be remembered for biting off a part of opponent Evander Holyfield's ear during a match.
Jake Paul is probably the most well-known of them today, at least among younger people, with his 70 million followers on YouTube. The 27-year-old, with a background as a Disney star, has in recent years invested heavily in professional boxing and is also planning a professional debut in MMA, a mix of several martial arts, next year.
A multimillion audience is expected when the streaming giant Netflix broadcasts the fight on Saturday night Swedish time. The company, best known for TV series and films, is now on its way to break a barrier and enter a new market.
It's very difficult to make money if you're going to have season rights, but when you offer broadcasts through the model we're building, it's an opportunity without the same risk, explained CEO Ted Sarandos earlier this year.
The Cherry on Top
Instead of tying themselves up for, for example, several years of broadcasting Premier League, Netflix is thus choosing to pick the cherry on top according to their strategy.
Earlier this year, it became clear that they will be broadcasting two matches in the American football league, NFL, during the Christmas holidays. The rights are estimated to cost $150 million, although the sum is staggering, it can be compared to the $110 billion that four companies are paying for NFL rights for the period 2023-2033.
Netflix's strategy is also a total turnaround from before. Just a couple of years ago, in 2022, Sarandos announced that the company "could grow twice as big without sports". The success of the TV series "Drive to Survive", a documentary series where viewers get to follow the Formula 1 circus, has led to investments in various exhibition events in golf and tennis, and now they will also be broadcasting American wrestling after buying the rights.
Not Alone
Netflix is, however, not alone, as more actors now see opportunities in sports. Amazon's Prime Video announced, for example, this summer that they are investing in basketball and will therefore be broadcasting 66 NBA matches from next season. The company has also acquired rights to the women's league, WNBA, and Premier League.
Apple has signed a 10-year contract with the American football league MLS.
Tobias Österberg/TT
Facts: The Boxing Match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul
TT
The meeting on November 15 is counted as a professional match and is arranged by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR)
The event takes place in the arena that is normally the home arena of the NFL club Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas.
Instead of the usual twelve three-minute rounds, the match will be decided in eight two-minute rounds.
To reduce the risk of injuries, a larger and thicker variant of gloves is used.
There will be no official referee. Therefore, the only way to win will be through knockout.
