Alexey PCH3LK1N Pchelkin and Eugene Aunkere Karyat revealed the inside of esports tournaments and said why streamers don’t travel to big tournaments to film IRL content and to create content from epicenter of events. The conversation had place during the online press conference for streamers.
Both guests of the conference spoke about the topic from different angles: Alexey as esports commentator and streamer and Eugene as a former sportsman. As it turned out in the discussion. there are several reasons for it.
Reason № 1. Everything depends on Esports discipline
Alexey PCH3LK1N Pchelkin: “Each commentator has its own significant tournament. Dota2 commentators have International. But you are picked by Valve. If you are picked by Valve, you also well-paid. There is nothing like that in CS:GO, like at all. You are just said: “Alexey, you are commenting semis of the Major today». And I answer: “Wow, super”. Them: “Price is the same”. Me: “Okay””.
Reason № 2. Esports on the West is at another level
Alexey PCH3LK1N Pchelkin: “Their manner of commenting and the way how they are recognized and how well-paid they are, is quite motivating. They are loved, respected and supported. I am not sure we have something similar. I didn’t feel the support from the CIS audience when I was commenting. Especially when I tried to bring the show into commenting, as there is lack of show in CS:GO. It is a very-very boring community that is reacting on some small things like: “Why did you raise your voice while commenting? You are a fool!”. Well, okay, I won’t do it anymore. They: “Maybe you will add some emotions. You, a speaking head, we need emotions!”.
Reason № 3. Organizers don’t invite
Alexey PCH3LK1N Pchelkin: “Esport is like a little brother of sport, who tskes the best experience from it but who is doing everything its own way and also collects full-crowded stadiums. We are developing. We CS:GO commentators are not usually invited anywhere to the international events. Dota 2 community has such a thing. Once Dota2 Major took place in Disney Land. And they invited everyone there. We also need something like that! But Valve don’t think this way: ‘let’s collect all the studios from different corners of the world like with Dota 2’. Dota 2 commentators have this tradition, CS:GO don’t. And we are watching them and say: “How cool is that! That’s the way people are living and commenting. And where we are? Nowhere”. We are still sitting in our studio and commenting, we are also working hard and trying to do our best. But we don’t feel the arena. When we were hosting the Epicenter Major and the top teams came, I was walking and watching famous people around, it was cool. Everything felt differently”.
Reason № 4. No access to players
Eugene Aunkere Karyat: “You can’t film a lot on the tournaments because teams have their own practice schedules and daily routine. So, you can’t film a lot with player, so the only thing you can do is to film something with other streamers. You don’t have an access to players. You are limited. Also, you come and there is no Internet here. Besides that, there is also a question whether you are allowed to stream live the game on your channel? Vlog format is more popular during the tournaments: every team has its own filming crew which is following the ream and creating the content. Streams from the tournaments are not that popular”.
Reason № 5. No broadcast rights
Alexey PCH3LK1N Pchelkin: “I remembered a story from the last Dota 2 Major about Oleg and Kostya (bratiki94). People from Valve or some agency somehow connected with them wrote them and invited to film content from the Dota 2 Major. They were given rights. They carried a host on the chair on the stage during the stream, then they were streaming the game from the stand holding the phone in the hand. They had rights if we come there, we can film some souvenir shop which is near the arena and maybe a stage before the event but when the match starts, we will receive authors rights notification as we have no rights transmitting the game. If organizers of the tournament will be interested in promoting their event through the streamers from every corner of the world. They can pick up a top streamer from any part of the world, invite them on the tournament and give rights on filming teams from any angles, to film backstage etc.! But we haven’t received such offers”.
