DAZN US Review: A Quality PPV Alternative for MMA and Boxing

DAZNDAZNReview

DAZN (pronounced “da zone”) is a sports-only streaming service that focuses heavily on fight sports in the US, with a healthy dose of international soccer as well. Designed as an alternative to pricey Pay-Per-View matches, DAZN might be what you're looking for as a cost-saving alternative. Our DAZN US review will help you decide if the streaming option is right for you. Let's get started!

What is DAZN?

Source: DAZN

DAZN is an international sports-only streaming service that launched in the US in September 2018. It offers various sports in the different countries where it is available. For US residents, DAZN is currently focused primarily on fighting sports that users would otherwise be forced to pay a significant amount to watch on cable TV and Pay-Per-View.

In 2022, the company has been dropping hints at moving forward “with recreational betting, gaming, e-commerce, NFTs and tech advances in the viewing experience.” This could include things like watch parties, games, choosing alternative commentators like YouTube personalities or former players, and more.

Presently, DAZN has the rights to matches from Canelo Alvarez, GGG, Daniel Jacobs, Michael Venom Page, Rory Macdonald, and more fighters. The service also offers some MLB content in the US, although that is limited.

60-second summary of DAZN

As a Pay-Per-View alternative, fighting sports fans are going to be hard-pressed to find an option as good at saving you money as DAZN. Although the service recently removed its free trials in the US and raised its monthly subscription fee, it's still much cheaper than paying for multiple Pay-Per-View events during the year.

As well, DAZN has shown itself readily dedicated to making access to its content as easy as possible. The app library continues to expand alongside the number of exclusive events, fights, and original content it offers.

Potential subscribers are going to find the biggest drawback to this service is the lack of variety. The fact that it almost exclusively offers fighting sports gives it a much smaller market to work from compared to its closest competitor from Disney, ESPN+.

Because of DAZN's struggle to attain wider acceptance among subscribers, the company announced a massive $1.3 billion loss earlier this year. It's only a matter of time before the streaming service becomes do or die.

Related: ESPN+ vs. DAZN - 9 Things You Need To Know

DAZN pros and cons

DAZN's unique service fills a much-needed demand for some subscribers, but there are notable limitations that exist.

Pros

  • The best alternative for boxing fans. DAZN changed the game for the Pay-Per-View boxing world by signing up a large number of boxers for exclusive fights on its platform.
  • Fast customer support. It's surprisingly easy to get in contact with DAZN's customer support via its online chat system.
  • Well-designed app and website. It's easy to find what you're looking for through DAZN's apps and website.
  • High-quality streaming. Fight sports need high quality, and DAZN delivers HD-quality video.
  • Event scheduling. DAZN's app lets you schedule events with push notifications so you never miss a fight.

Cons

  • No free trial for US fans. DAZN eliminated its free trial in the US, meaning you have to pay to get access.
  • No refunds. Alongside the loss of the free trial, DAZN does not offer refunds.
  • Too niche. DAZN offers a wide range of live sports in other markets, but in the US its focus is almost exclusively on boxing and MMA. This may make it far too limited for many potential subscribers to justify the cost.
  • Few non-combat sports options in the US. Outside the US, DAZN carries a large variety of sports. Stateside, however, most of those contracts go elsewhere, so DAZN's usefulness to US sports fans is limited.

How much does DAZN cost?

DAZN initially offered its service at $9.99/month with a 1-month free trial. However, that changed as the company saw too much turnover with subscribers signing up and then quitting after the first month. As of the publishing of this article, here is DAZN's pricing:

DAZN

Only $99.99 for the year

  • 50+ fights
  • Crossover boxing women's soccer pool & more
  • Pay per view available for purchase

$19.99/month

Watch Now

If there's a major event you really want to watch, such as a GGG or Canelo fight, DAZN is going to be the only place to watch. You'll need to sign up for at least one month to get it.

However, if you see yourself watching multiple DAZN-exclusive events throughout the year, the year-long subscription is cost-effective and cheaper than DAZN's original pricing scheme.

Related: DAZN Plans and Pricing - Everything You Need To Know

How is DAZN's stream quality?

You’ll have two different streaming experiences when using DAZN: on-demand and live streams. On-demand streams appear to load quickly, and the HD video is crystal clear.

If you set your app to save data, you will see some reduced quality. The sound quality is also clear, but it will be impacted by the audio quality on your device. That said, the videos did appear to be a lower-quality HD, which makes sense, given the lower bitrate.

In addition, there is no option for Ultra-HD, for example, and 4K appears to be completely off the table.

Source: DAZN

Additionally, by default, DAZN’s app opens any stream at the top of the app. If you want full screen, you’ll need to tap the multi-arrow “expand” button on the video and then turn the screen to horizontal. Unfortunately, DAZN doesn’t let you decide which direction the screen goes when it’s in horizontal mode, which is a distinct limitation for those trying to watch in bed with a plugged-in device.

We were not able to test the DAZN US live stream during our initial day-one test. Based on our previous experience with DAZN Canada, the live streaming quality may not be the best at times, but we’re hoping for an improvement.

For review, when we tested DAZN Canada, we found that the service had many notable issues. According to our writer Chris, those problems included “frequent buffering issues, dropped frames, and audio glitches.” Some of these issues persist as noted in some of the Android and iOS app reviews.

However, after a few months of use, we've noticed that DAZN stream quality has been improving steadily, and the service seems to be rock-solid, particularly during live, PPV events, which is great for fans.

How is DAZN's device support?

Thanks to the fact that it’s been available in various other countries for a few years, DAZN US is launching with a wide array of device and platform support.

Source: DAZN

You can stream DAZN directly from your web browser on both Windows or Mac OS computers. Most web browsers will work, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, and Opera.

DAZN has apps for iOS and Android devices (tablets and phones) and Amazon Fire Tablets, as well as popular streaming devices like Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV and Roku. There are even apps for Xbox, PlayStation, and select smart TVs.

Related: DAZN Device Support - Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and More

DAZN on Roku

You can watch DAZN on both Roku streaming devices and Roku TVs. Almost all versions of Roku and Roku TVs will work to stream DAZN live and on-demand. There may be some limited functionality with older Roku models.

DAZN on Fire TV Stick

DAZN supports every Amazon Fire TV Stick version, including Generation 1 Fire TV and Fire TV Sticks. You can download the app directly from the Amazon App Store.

DAZN on Apple TV

You can use DAZN on Apple TV, but you'll need an Apple TV 4th Generation device (2015 model or newer). Older Apple TV devices will not work with DAZN.

DAZN on iPhones and iPads

The DAZN iOS app will work on iPhone 4S or newer, iPod Touch (5th Gen or newer), and iPad 2 or newer. The app is free on through the Apple App Store and holds a solid 4.6 out of 5 rating. Users tend to complain about dropped streams and the price of the service (unrelated to the app).

DAZN on Android phones and tablets

You'll need an Android device running version 4.4 or newer to use DAZN. The DAZN app is not very well-received by Android users, with a 2.7 out of 5 rating. A common refrain from negative reviewers points to subscribers who did not expect to be charged (likely customers who signed up not realizing that there is no longer a one-month free trial), and an issue we mention below regarding an inability to easily cancel the account from the app or the web.

DAZN on Smart TVs

DAZN supports a select number of smart TVs by LG, Samsung and Vizio. You'll also find apps available on cable set-top boxes (STBs) by Xfinity and Cox.

What is there to watch on DAZN?

Every live event that broadcasts on DAZN is available through its on-demand library. The service doesn't offer exact expiration dates for those on-demand videos, but most can be streamed on-demand for weeks after the events have aired.

Source: DAZN

Within the on-demand library, you'll find a wide range of content. Most of the on-demand content is not actually related to fighting sports. You can watch a large amount of content on-demand from different sports, including MLB (highlights), soccer, cricket, gymnastics, and pool and snooker.

DAZN also has some original programming in its on-demand library, such as in-depth interviews with the fighters. You'll also get some unique documentaries, like The Journey: Canelo/Rocky. And although DAZN doesn't offer MLB games in the US, it does have a series it produces in conjunction with the MLB called ChangeUp that covers MLB highlights and news.

All told, you won't have an easy time determining just how many videos are on offer. We certainly couldn't. But if you need the service for more than just on-demand boxing and MMA, there's enough there to fill in the gaps between live events.

How is DAZN's DVR?

Unlike other live TV services, such as Fubo or Hulu + Live TV, DAZN does not provide a DVR. All of the content you might want to watch is made available on-demand, but you can't save and keep any content on your own.

How is DAZN's customer support?

DAZN's customer support is great, the only problem is that you're going to be forced to use it if you want to cancel (more on that later).

The service offers two options for direct customer support: email and live chat. Between the two, we recommend the live chat as we found it fast and efficient. Email support can work, but you will have a several-hour delay between when you submit a support ticket and when you get a response.

Live Chat won't require you to log in or even have an account, but you will need to select a category for the chat support representative to draw from. We found it took only a few seconds to connect to a chat support agent, but your results may vary depending on what time of day you try to connect, and whether there's a major event broadcasting at that time.

How to cancel DAZN

There are two ways to cancel your DAZN subscription. The first way is:

  • Log into My Account
  • Click on "CANCEL SUBSCRIPTION"
  • Enter feedback on why you're looking to cancel
  • Submit

However, while testing the service, we found that there is no way to cancel DAZN from your account settings. The service has an option to cancel the account, but that sends you back to your login screen.

If this same issue happens to you, you'll need to:

  • Open the Live Chat
  • Select that you have an issue with your account
  • Give the support agent your account information
  • Request to cancel your account

The support agent likely won't fight you on canceling (at least, that was our experience when testing the service). However, we recommend checking back to ensure your account was fully canceled, and monitoring your payment account to verify it's not charged the next month.

DAZN's refund policy

If you decide to cancel your account, DAZN does not offer a refund. You will, however, be able to finish the remainder of the month for which you paid, or the remainder of the year if you paid for a yearlong subscription.

Final comments

DAZN US is a great service for fight sports. It also gives US residents the opportunity to sign up for DAZN and watch some of their favorite sports while traveling across the globe, as the service works in multiple countries with the same account.

It will be interesting to see whether the service can land more lucrative contracts and start to offer more than just fight sports. For now, however, DAZN still makes sense as a purchase for anyone who wants to watch boxing and MMA from major promoters without having to shell out huge amounts of money on PPV passes for each match. But we'll have to wait and see if they're able to dig themselves out of the mountain of debt they've amassed.

Sam Cook

Sam Cook Author

Sam Cook is a full-time content strategist by day, a part-time freelance content writer since 2015. In another life, he was a high school English teacher for nearly a decade. Based in sunny New Orleans, he writes long-form educational content on technology, including Insurtech, Fintech, HRtech, and content streaming.

Lisa Holden

Lisa Holden Editor

Lisa Holden is an editor and creative based in Houston, TX. Lisa holds a BA in African-American Studies from Temple University and has spent her career working in news publications and magazines, even founding a magazine herself. She began working as an editor for Flixed in 2023. When she’s not editing or working on one of her many creative endeavors (whenever that is), she enjoys traveling to new places and biking on sunny days.

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