The Philadelphia Eagles may have decisively won the on-field game in Super Bowl LIX, but Fox’s free Tubi streaming service emerged as a significant off-field victor. Fox reported an average audience of 13.6 million on Tubi, contributing to a record 126 million overall viewers (a preliminary figure). The streaming experience on Tubi drew comparatively few social media complaints compared to previous options. In their sixth annual measurement, real-time streaming firm Phenix named Tubi this year’s winner with only 26 seconds of average lag:
🏈 The 6th Annual Super Bowl Latency Study is LIVE! ⏳
Measuring latency from your favorite streaming platforms.
Some fans saw game-changing plays over a minute before others due to streaming delays.
Who’s ahead? Who’s lagging behind? Find out here: ⬇️https://t.co/NQyxByGyzO
— Phenix Real Time Solutions (@phenixrts) February 10, 2025
In a 2023 writeup regarding Phenix’s data from that Super Bowl, several key points emerged. Firstly, the lag time references viewers at the stadium, not those on over-the-air broadcasts, which Phenix CMO Jed Corenthal previously estimated to be between eight to twenty seconds. Additionally, there was considerable cable lag as illustrated in Phenix’s report, which showed latencies ranging from 32 to 81 seconds, far behind Tubi’s average. Notably, streaming experiences can vary significantly across different viewers due to factors like internet service providers and individual setups. While the overall averages didn’t change dramatically, Phenix’s drift data reveals that experiences greatly differed among viewers on each streaming service. Interestingly, Tubi and Hulu+Live TV provided the most consistent experiences.
Phenix collected 62 data points (down from 173 last year) from users across the U.S. streaming the game on seven platforms, comparing that data to benchmarks from the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, involving both browser-based and app-based streaming. Year-over-year comparisons reveal significant improvements for three of the five platforms measured both years (NFL+, Hulu+Live TV, Fubo), while there were drops from two (DirecTV Stream, YouTube TV). The 2025 findings indicate an overall better performance than in 2024:
Matthew Keys reported that Tubi’s 26-second lag was largely due to using the national Fox feed instead of local affiliates, similar to Fox’s streaming performance in 2023, which averaged 23.76 seconds behind the in-stadium experience. In contrast, multichannel video programming distributors like YouTube TV or Fubo must comply with local affiliate agreements, making it impossible for them to use the national feed. Despite this, the faster national feed’s performance is intriguing. The significant lag in many streaming services remains problematic, and both Corenthal and Phenix CEO Roy Reichbach commented on these ongoing issues:
“When we shared the results of our Super Bowl latency study back in 2023, I felt there was no excuse for delays and buffering, which ruined the viewing experience for fans during one of the biggest sporting events of the year. Unfortunately now, 728 days later, I am still saying the same thing. Fans are spending more than ever on numerous services to keep up with exclusivity rights, yet the experience continues to be subpar. I urge streaming platforms in 2025 to enhance the experience for fans. This year feels like a tipping point, and many fans may cut the streaming cord if we don’t see progress.” – Jed Corenthal, CMO of Phenix, Former NFL Director of Marketing
“Our Super Bowl latency study has repeatedly highlighted a major obstacle preventing streaming from meeting expectations when we cut the cord. Beyond simply annoying fans, the implications for business are significant. When a live event buffers or lags over a minute behind real-time action, features like live betting and fan interactions cannot occur. These elements represent the future of sports viewing. Each season, as we continue to frustrate fans, networks miss out on major opportunities. Thankfully, the technology exists to eliminate this barrier; we just need to embrace it.” – Roy Reichbach, CEO of Phenix
Both Reichbach and Corenthal make valid points; latency is crucial, especially for fans engaging with the game on social media or through live betting. It’s significant to recognize how high the lag figures continue to be.
