An essential part of NBC Sports’ strategy over the last decade has been England’s Premier League. The company secured exclusive rights in 2013, taking over from ESPN and Fox Sports, utilizing these matches as vital content for NBCSN (RIP), various NBCUniversal cable channels (notably during the final week), and their Peacock service following its 2020 launch. With most matches now streamed on Peacock, the platform has become indispensable for U.S. fans of the league. However, when technical issues arise—such as crashes during Darwin Núñez’s two stoppage-time goals for Liverpool against Brentford—this leads to significant dissatisfaction among viewers.
It remains unclear whether the problem was specific to Peacock or part of a larger issue with the Premier League’s world feed, yet the majority of criticism was directed at Peacock. Here are several frustrations expressed by viewers:
2 goals missed…. horrible service @peacock
— Alexander (@NateDavATL) January 18, 2025
Love how the Peacock signal goes out right as Darwin scores. #LFC
— Jacob Perry 🇺🇲 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@RealJacobPerry) January 18, 2025
@peacock WTF the feed stopped from Liverpool Brentford!!!
— 🦾Alt Timeline Hank🤳🏾 (@hanx3sports) January 18, 2025
Peacock: you can watch the first 90 minutes of a 0-0 slog no problem. Also Peacock: as soon as goals start coming in stoppage time, we will be completely unavailable.
— Cam Stuart (@realcamstuart) January 18, 2025
hey @peacock since you made everyone miss the two @LFC goals you might at least keep coverage going for highlights.
— OLSC Chicago (@ChicagoLFC) January 18, 2025
Feed stops right as Liverpool’s about to score and missed both goals. Bittersweet…
— Phillip Bupp (@phillipbupp) January 18, 2025
This situation reflects broader conversations surrounding streaming services and their associated technical difficulties. While feed crashes have also plagued traditional cable and broadcast networks over the years, the prevalence of such issues on streaming platforms has become increasingly evident. Recent instances include Netflix’s high-profile Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight, which experienced notable technical challenges. Questions arose about the reliability of their Christmas Day NFL broadcasts—though they managed to deliver a smoother experience later. Peacock similarly faced severe streaming issues during both the Premier League and the Ryder Cup in September 2023. Despite improvements in their streaming lately, many viewers remain vocal about the frustrations of relying on a streaming service, especially for significant events.
