Lawsuits over MayMac streaming fiasco to be settled with refunds
The settlement offers “tiered refunds” to fans depending on how much of the event they were unable to watch due to technical difficulties.
The most dedicated MMA fans purchased the biggest bout in combat sports history, Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather, via UFC.tv rather than their cable provider. The experience was ruined for countless users when the broadcast failed. During the card, the UFC Fight Pass app announced that the problem would be corrected “shortly.” Only after the main event had begun was the recommendation made to use the Showtime app instead, but that was another $99, and there were reports that that app too was failing, and no reference was made to a refund for the $99 spent already.
The experience was something like going to a high-end restaurant and getting food poisoning from the glass of water. Class action lawsuits were been filed against UFC partner NeuLion that was responsible for the streaming, as well as Showtime, and the UFC.
Now Steven Marrocco for MMAjunkie reports that the suits will be settled with refunds.
The settlement, which has met preliminary approval from a federal judge in Nevada, offers tiered refunds to fans depending on how much of the event they were unable to watch due to technical difficulties, according to a press release issued by Hart Robinovitch Zimmerman Reed LLP, which represents plaintiffs in the suit against the UFC and streaming partner NeuLion.
•Fans who missed over 5 minutes of Mayweather vs. McGregor will get a full refund of the $99.99 pay-per-view price.
•Those who missed some, but less than 5 minutes, will get $50.
•And those who missed only preliminary bouts will get $25.
•Fans who also were out money for food and beverage bought for viewing parties will receive a smaller token of consideration: They get a choice between one to three months of free access to UFC Fight Pass or a $5 payment.
The settlement will move toward final approval after a comment period and a fairness hearing scheduled for July 20.
The eventual reward for blowing the biggest fight in history for countless fans was the UFC parent company Endeavor purchasing NeuLion for a reported $250,000.