Stan went through temporary technical glitches on Wednesday night after a record-breaking Married at First Sight audience prompted a surge of viewers to switch to the streamer.
As per Variety Australia, Nine’s broadcast of Married at First Sight, which delivered the highest BVOD overnight audience in VOZ history for the show (740,000 viewers), fans headed to Stan for the premiere of MAFS: After the Dinner Party, a companion recap series hosted by Jules Lund, Brittany Hockley and Laura Byrne.
Record audience drives traffic spike
Some users briefly couldn’t access the platform, which the network says was due to a massive surge in traffic.
“The moment that massive audience finished watching on Channel 9 and 9Now, we saw a record-breaking mass of fans rush over to Stan to catch the premiere of ‘MAFS: After The Dinner Party,’” Nine’s Head of Content, Production and Development, Adrian Swift told Variety Australia in a statement.
“This surge in volume exceeded even our most ambitious forecasts. It’s a high-class problem to have, and it proves that the MAFS ecosystem has an insatiable appetite.
“While our technical teams had the majority of impacted fans streaming within moments, we are sorry to anyone who was stuck at the digital front door for a moment. Last night wasn’t just a premiere; it was a cultural event that pretty much broke the internet.”
A major launch for Stan
The result is a massive win for both Nine and Stan given the premiere launch for “MAFS: After the Dinner Party,” which will stream weekly throughout the latest MAFS season.
Per Stan, “between shocking audition tape reveals and the brutal fallout from the ‘Red Flags / Green Flags’ task, the hosts will dive deep with participants about the sudden formation of a divisive new bride’s clique, exploring the calculated alliances that have left participants feeling targeted and blindsided.
“From high-stakes rejections, couples imploding under the pressure, and the brides’ alliances fractured, ‘MAFS: After The Dinner Party’ will unpack exactly what’s next for the couples as they navigate the most challenging weeks yet.”
“MAFS: After The Dinner Party” is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay Entertainment company) for Stan
Top Image: Stan