Jake Paul and Mike Tyson’s much-talked-about boxing match on November 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, fell short of expectations in ticket sales. Despite the hype and bold predictions, fewer than 60,000 tickets were sold, while about 6,500 tickets were handed out for free, according to a report by USA Today Sports.
Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Fails to Draw Crowds at AT&T Stadium
Before the fight, Paul confidently claimed the event would draw 90,000 fans to the venue, which has a capacity of 80,000. However, the numbers missed the mark. A total of 59,666 tickets were sold, and 66,103 tickets were distributed overall. In an effort to boost sales, ticket prices were reduced just two weeks before the event.
The fight was streamed live on Netflix, which reported that the match reached a peak of 65 million concurrent streams. Netflix even described it as the most-watched sporting event ever on the platform. However, some viewers were frustrated by technical issues during the stream, which led to a class-action lawsuit.
Thank you to the fans. History made pic.twitter.com/jtq5ZIcZ4M
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) December 16, 2024
The match itself ended with Jake Paul securing a unanimous decision victory over Mike Tyson after eight rounds. While it generated $18.1 million in ticket revenue, making it one of the highest-grossing boxing events in the United States outside Nevada, the event still fell short of the ambitious goals set by its promoters.
In addition to ticket sales, the event brought in $3.6 million from complimentary tickets. Altogether, the proceeds subject to state taxes totaled $22 million. The promoters, Holden Boxing, worked alongside Jake Paul’s company Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix to organize the event, resulting in a tax bill of around $650,000.
Even though the fight did not meet expectations in ticket sales, it left a significant mark on the streaming world. The combination of Paul and Tyson, along with Netflix’s global reach, created an event that was widely watched and discussed, despite its shortcomings in live attendance.
This fight highlights how boxing continues to evolve in a digital age where streaming can draw audiences far beyond the arena.
