Strength of the community

[Dimaeiya333]

Twitch's sophisticated live streaming features —chat, moderation, streamer subscriptions—are a key factor in creating the powerful communities of streamers and audiences the platform is known for.

“ On Twitch, people are used to doing regular livestreams. They are used to interacting with other people in the streaming world and are happy to be able to meet up at events ,” comments The Metrics Factory Sport/Sponsoring consultant Clément Joffrin. “[GP Explorer] was an extreme case. It’s impressive to see that they sold a large number of tickets. There has been a shift towards events where streamers and influencers have the need to see their fans , to offer them things IRL and not just on stream.”

Community bonds on Twitch are reinforced by the very nature of the platform. The live format ensures a level of authenticity in content that is absent on other social media platforms.

“There’s no cheating on Twitch,” Chabrier says. “ Before the stream, after the stream, people get together to talk about it. We find people we know, or we meet people on Discord, which is used a lot. It’s this community that is committed to the streamer but also to the community itself .”

IRL events created by streamers further push the boundaries of social media engagement to include multiple actors, argues SVOD platform The Pit founder Jean Vilgrain.

« These formats allow us to break a barrier that we didn’t necessarily think about a few years ago from behind a screen ,» comments Vilgrain. « We now see a much less passive consumption. Where content creators are actors in their content, but their audience is also becoming an actor in the streamer’s content. This pushes the boundaries of engagement towards content that has a multiple impact .»

Next generation television
The increasingly professional level of production of streamers' IRL events - and the sponsors they attract - is a clear sign that streaming communities can no longer be dismissed as niche.

As platforms like Twitch and YouTube begin to pay colossal sums for the rights to broadcast major sporting events, it's undeniable that they're carving out a place for themselves in the hearts and minds of audiences that was once the exclusive domain of linear television.

However, experts argue that the real success of IRL events like GP Explorer lies in the care that has been taken to maintain the community values ​​so dear to Twitch users.

" It was very much done in the spirit of community that is Twitch's identity. Some people on Twitch will say, 'Yeah, it was just like TV,' but the values ​​of sharing and community communication that are unique to Twitch were maintained ," Chabrier says.

The fact that big brands are lining up to sponsor streamers’ IRL events is further proof that these communities are entering the mainstream . From social media and streaming platforms like TikTok, Prime and YouTube, to b chief of vp and training email database rands like Adidas, Xbox, British eyewear company Specsavers and Spanish food brand ElPozo King, brands are clearly seeing opportunities to reach new audiences through this format .

“ The difference with regard to TV audiences is the age of those who are going to watch it,” says The Metrics Factory’s Joffrin. “The problem for a lot of sports today is reaching young people. At Twitch, we know that the majority of those using the platform are 18-25 year olds, or even 18-35. It’s an incredible opportunity .”

Spread the love
Also unique to the Twitch community is the solidarity between streamers . IRL and streaming events often involve the participation of multiple streamers in a spirit of entertainment, fun, and respect for their communities.

Last September, for example, British YouTubers Sidemen's (17.4 million followers) annual charity game brought together nearly two dozen of the world's top YouTubers, including YouTube's biggest content creator, MrBeast (115 million followers), who traveled from the United States to participate .

The charity football match was watched by 2.4 million simultaneous live viewers, 27,000 people in person, and raised £1m for cancer charities.