Japan fans push internet to breaking point
Viewers were advised over the weekend that admission to watch the Japan-Croatia match may be restricted in order to ensure a stable service.
Abema holds the streaming rights to the Qatar tournament in Japan, and the national team’s unexpected progress out of the group stage has triggered a wave of interest and support.
The youth-oriented streaming network hit a new usage high on Friday after Japan’s game against Spain, which was broadcast at 4 am locally, Susumu Fujita, president of parent company CyberAgent Inc, said on Twitter.
Tokyo-based CyberAgent is better known for its portfolio of video games, such as Uma Musume, which helped drive the stock to a record high amid the pandemic.
It may have spent as much as 20 billion yen (US$150 million) on securing the World Cup streaming rights for Abema, according to Jefferies analyst Hiroko Sato. ...continue reading

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