https://twitter.com/valesports_na/status/1395443203331870721
that is the genius of it. they ar bringing in viewers that normally wouldn't give a shit about valorant esports. If you are watching wardell stream, chance is you will be watching the IceLAN with or without Wardell co-stream. Different for Ludwig/Poki viewers.
That's how u grow a esports audience scene and getting a bigger a more diversed audience.
if you are relying on organic viewership, the view count will be a joke (half of what co-stream total is)
Just see the difference when Shroud co-stream vs him not co-streaming.
Then we will just be laughing stock because the 'biggest event' viewership will be literally worse than some random game like Navi vs G2 in CSGO
boxing is fucking stupid anyway. Literally getting to choose to fight who you wanna fight, biased referees to create drama and 'rematches' for bigger paydays etc. Boxing already made a mockery with itself ages ago.
Esports is about everyone get to have a chance, your average joe can go to solo queue and get good enough and can fight against pros. Boxing is a closed exclusive club that is outdated and should have died ages ago
the watch party is just a side thing they let ArsenalFC do for their own channel. If you think the twitch watch party is raking in more views than the television match, you're deluded, it's not even 1% of the total viewership, otherwise they wouldn't allow it.
UFC clown show? They just have a comedy match up to warm things, most people don't even watch that. If you think people tune in to watch the WWE guy fight some celeb you're deluded again. Nobody watches that shit, it's not 50% of the viewers, not even 0.1% of the payperviews that came in for that.
NBA all star games is not the same thing. It's a showmatch, they don't put e-celebs playing, it's a friendly game that you see for fun.
You're god damn deluded if you think any of these is more than a side gig nobody cares about.
In constrast, watch parties in valorant are more than 70% of the viewership. Isn't it pathetic that an "esports" scene is dependant on Pokimane? Circus.
the only reason why there's no 'watch party' for those traditional esports is because TV stations pay millions/billions of exclusive right to show the match. That's how sports make majority of their money. Esports it is free to watch, so it is completely different.
If you think is circus, watching 5 ppl playing video games alone is circus enough. Stop with your elitist bullshit, thinking you have to be sweaty radiant grind 15h a day to have the 'right' to enjoy and get involved in the esports scene.
We are also thrilled to announce that
@HitscanYT and @PlatChatPodcast
will be our featured #VALORANTMasters Watch Party hosts on YouTube!
https://twitter.com/valesports_na/status/1395443210235744256?s=20
You don't have to watch him, He's obviously not for you. And he wasn't picked for people like you to watch. But to act like there is no one for you to watch to get the pro streamer vibe is dishonest. You have Myth, you have Shroud, you will most likely have Dicey on Poki's stream, you have the Plat Chat guys on Youtube, and Average Jonas. All these might not be your pick, but one at least should. This is an esports less than a year old, Riot trying to grow the esports with people who might not normally watch, and get as many people to have a stream to their liking.
I love that odds are just because of how rank spread works , most of the people complaining about Poki, are probably a lower rank than her at Diamond.
I know that but I would prefer if they let the people who actually play the game host the event, imagine if u are super invested in the tourney like some pros, and then u lose a spot to stream it to some people who don't even care that much about the game just because they have more following, I think this should be a time to unite the community, make some great content, enjoy the show, just a wholesome moment for everyone but riot values the popularity of the streamer more than their own player base, reminds me a lot about valve's management (the community and the players comes last, spreading the game and getting some bucks comes first)
My take is that choosing popular streamers isn't necessarily a bad thing. While I def understand the sentiment that it's more enjoyable for people who are larger fans of comp val to watch pros and casters who are more familiar with the game, choosing people who will help expose the competitive side of val to more people is just the smarter way to grow a community imo.