Kayo Sports Users Vent Fury Over Technical Failures and Rising Costs
Sport streaming giant Kayo Sports has ignited a storm of criticism from footy fans after a recent app update led to a cascade of technical errors, disrupting viewing plans and sparking outrage on social media. Users have flooded platforms with complaints, describing the service as nearly unwatchable due to constant crashes, lagging streams, blurry picture quality, and games failing to load or finish properly.
Widespread Technical Issues Plague Updated Platform
Following the rollout of Kayo's latest app update, subscribers have reported a host of persistent glitches that have severely impacted their viewing experience. Many fans noted that despite having stable internet connections, they encountered issues such as blurry footage, frequent buffering, and streams that abruptly stop or display black screens. One frustrated viewer posted, 'Kayos new tv app is trash, constant crashes. Paying nearly $50 a month for garbage. Unknown errors, technical faults,' while another added, 'Mines the same. Glitchy, stops/starts. Terrible footage to watch.'
Social media has become a hub for disgruntled users seeking solutions, with some asking for tips to resolve the problems. 'Any tips for the glitchy service I am getting tonight? Internet is working perfectly. Its basically unwatchable,' one user inquired. Others shared similar experiences, with one stating, 'The stream shows then it stop lags then goes black screen and I cant load it again. Your update ruined it. I had no problems before the app was updated.' The update has left many feeling that the upgraded app performs worse than previous versions, exacerbating their dissatisfaction.
Price Hikes and AI Support Add to User Frustration
The technical woes have been compounded by recent price increases and perceived inadequacies in customer support. Kayo recently lifted the price of its premium subscription from $40 to $45.99 per month just before the 2026 season kicked off, while its standard package remained at $29.99. This move has drawn ire from users who feel they are paying more for a degraded service. 'Considering its borderline-monopoly and frighteningly high prices, there is absolutely no reason for Kayo to be down,' one angry viewer commented.
Additionally, customers have criticized Kayo's support system, accusing the company of relying on AI-generated chatbots that provide scripted responses without resolving ongoing issues. 'What a joke. So the price has gone up significantly over the last 2 years and you get AI live chat that selects pre scripted answers that don't help. Then at some point it basically just shuts down the channel,' another user posted to X. This lack of human assistance has further fueled frustration among subscribers.
Broader Context: AFL Deal and DAZN Acquisition
The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of a new AFL broadcast deal that grants Foxtel and Kayo exclusive rights to key Saturday matches across multiple markets. Kayo defended the price hike, stating it reflects ongoing investment in sport coverage, production quality, and technology. Foxtel executives pointed to the soaring cost of securing sports rights as a key driver behind the increase. A Foxtel spokesperson said, 'These changes reflect the cost of sports rights in Australia and internationally and our continued investment in production and commentary, and cutting-edge technology.'
This situation follows DAZN's completion of a $3.4 billion acquisition of Foxtel Group in early 2025, which brought Kayo Sports, Foxtel, and BINGE under its ownership. Despite the acquisition, Kayo continues to operate as a standalone platform, with plans to introduce more advanced and interactive viewing features. However, these future upgrades have done little to ease current user frustrations, as fans grapple with immediate technical problems and higher costs.
Daily Mail has contacted Kayo for comment, but as of now, the streaming service has not publicly addressed the widespread complaints. The backlash highlights growing consumer discontent in the competitive sports streaming market, where reliability and customer service are paramount.
