Blue Jays Fans Furious as Sportsnet+ Streaming Service Crashes During World Series

In a crucial moment during Game 4 of the World Series, the Sportsnet+ streaming service crashed, leaving scores of Toronto Blue Jays fans unable to watch their team’s hard-fought victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.

“Some Sportsnet+ customers experienced an issue streaming last night that was quickly resolved,” a Sportsnet spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday. “We understand the importance of not missing a second of the action and apologize to our customers who were impacted.”

Sportsnet, owned by Rogers, which also owns the Blue Jays and holds the NHL broadcasting rights in Canada, did not reveal how widespread the outage was, how long it lasted, or why it happened. The network directed customers to a livestream of the game on sportsnet.ca, but many fans expressed frustration on social media.

Fans Vent on Social Media

Fans took to Twitter to voice their frustration, with some reporting that they had tried multiple devices and sign-ins without success.

“Four different devices. Signed in and out of all. Not one works,” said user @blamontz. “Going on 20 minutes now. What am I paying for, if not this moment?”

Price Hike Backlash

Many fans also criticized Sportsnet’s recent price hike for its premium streaming service. On September 9, the broadcaster raised the annual Sportsnet+ Premium plan by 30% to $324.99, and the monthly plan by 23% to $42.99.

“Please keep posting play by plays so I can watch the game on here instead of the app that I’m paying $43 a month for. Thanks,” said @ShawnChakita.

Blue Jays Tie Up the Series

The Blue Jays eventually won 6-2, evening the best-of-seven series at two games apiece. Game 5 is set for Wednesday night in Los Angeles, with Game 6 scheduled for Friday in Toronto.

FAQs

Why did Sportsnet+ crash?

Sportsnet has not provided an official reason for the outage.

What did Sportsnet do to help customers during the outage?

The network directed customers to a livestream of the game on sportsnet.ca.

Has Sportsnet+ experienced issues before?

No widespread issues have been reported prior to this event.

Did you know?

💡 The Blue Jays’ victory in Game 4 was their longest World Series game, lasting 18 innings. Read more about Sportsnet’s bleary-eyed behind-the-scenes coverage of the marathon game.