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Canada13378 Posts
I posted this to reddit and also decided to post it here. Its primarily my perspective on the event unfolding surrounding the PPV winter arena. I am trying to present what many people seem to saying in the community while also posting about my perspective.
Dear MLG,
While Pay per View is understandable and okay by some of us, we as a community seem to think that it is too much too soon.
The Sudden change in the business model MLG seems to be taking is very much a shock to us. We are used to getting free content and we are used to paying for content. However, making a very sudden change so close to an event is creating quite a bit of controversy.
Last year MLG offered free ad supported streams and paid streams without ads. We as a community understood this and some of us paid for single events, others paid for a Gold membership.
In 2011 the MLG had a very rocky start and some of the events were poorly streamed and MLG spent quite a bit of time trying to ingratiate itself to us as viewers. MLG as a company worked hard to fix its image after the Dallas fiasco. MLG offered discounts and free HD to those of us who were affected by the Dallas stream and Decorah Eagles distraction. Over time MLG became "friendly" in our eyes as a community and willing to make things right as it were.
This PPV for 20 dollars is very sudden especially in an era in SC2 where we pay less on average for similarly high quality product or receive high quality product for free with tournaments like the ESV Korean Weekly. After providing us with a great product lineup in 2011, and discounting it due to issues regarding stream reliability many of us would have been glad and very willing to pay for the same model full price this year.
My understanding is that Gold members still have access to all Major tournaments showings (such as colombus) in the same way we did last year and this PPV is only for the Winter Arena (so far). Vods will then be available a week later.
While this is okay, many of us expected to have access to watch the winter arena as paying gold members. Many people with limited entertainment incomes were expecting a free stream. With only 11 days remaining before the MLG Winter Arena starts these preconceptions regarding the MLG model (however reasonable they may or may not be) were broken. This makes it very sudden. People can not budget their money over the next 11 days to purchase the PPV. UFC fanatics who know the next event will cost 30 dollars for example might decide to set aside some money to watch the event, or get friends together to split the cost. With only 11 days, it becomes difficult to make plans such as these. Furthermore, since the event covers multiple streams and 3 days having friends over to split the cost of the PPV also changes the dynamic that other PPV sports benefit from. With other sports, a PPV covers one event which is often streamlined making it easy for multiple people to get the content. With multiple streams I as a protoss player might want to follow the protoss games, whereas my Zerg friend might want to follow the Zerg players.
In closing, I think its important to realise that while we as a community can and are often willing to pay for content, making a drastic change such as requiring 20 dollars in 11 days time to watch what we had assumed we would already have access to as paying or non paying individuals is jarring. Had it been cheaper, or had we been informed much earlier it would have been easier to digest. One or the other would help both would have been ideal.
Informing us as a community that MLG wants to move towards a PPV model for the Winter Arena (and other arenas thereafter) in late January and informing us that it would cost ten dollars many of us would have found it reasonable. The cost is not too high for a "pilot" project as it were and we would have had time to budget income to afford to pay for said content. Those who do not need to budget the money aside or factor in the amount when budgeting could have gone on with their lives and those with lower incomes or limited entertainment budgets would have been able to set something aside.
As it stands now it doesn't seem as though the PPV experiment will be a resounding success and indeed the community backlash seems to be quite negative as well.
Sorry for the long post but I really wanted to show my perspective and echo the concerns many people seem to be presenting.
Best Regards
  
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It's pretty much specifically ppv to test the waters and see if this type of thing is possible and profitable. Nothing past this is set in stone as far as I know.
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I didnt even know that MLG was changing to PPV. Would have been a great surprise when the arena started. Well I guess after the next arena they'll see that the PPV wont work.
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Please do not include me in your "we". I do not find PPV in the least bit favorable or acceptable. PP season? Sure. Pay per year? sure. Pay per specific content while leaving the general stream free? Sure. All or nothing single event? Fuck no; terrible model for esports to try to grow on, too many other free streams to even work in the first place. Frankly I think most of the people supporting it do so because they feel they "owe" MLG or they think that PPV is the only feasible way for esports to continue to grow.
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On February 14 2012 09:50 Angel_ wrote:
Please do not include me in your "we". I do not find PPV in the least bit favorable or acceptable. PP season? Sure. Pay per year? sure. Pay per specific content while leaving the general stream free? Sure. All or nothing single event? Fuck no; terrible model for esports to try to grow on, too many other free streams to even work in the first place. Frankly I think most of the people supporting it do so because they feel they "owe" MLG or they think that PPV is the only feasible way for esports to continue to grow.
Please enlighten us on a better model that is going to pay for huge prize pools and high quality streams. Along with affording event locations, employees, and player accommodations.
Everyone wants incredibly high quality content, but nobody wants to pay. Trust me, I would LOVE to continue to get great tournament streams free, but it simply isn't feasible when the people running them need to make a living.
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Canada13378 Posts
On February 14 2012 09:50 Angel_ wrote:
Please do not include me in your "we". I do not find PPV in the least bit favorable or acceptable. PP season? Sure. Pay per year? sure. Pay per specific content while leaving the general stream free? Sure. All or nothing single event? Fuck no; terrible model for esports to try to grow on, too many other free streams to even work in the first place. Frankly I think most of the people supporting it do so because they feel they "owe" MLG or they think that PPV is the only feasible way for esports to continue to grow.
I state that many of us find moving to PPV understandable but thats it a lot of money on short notice. If you point out where I definitively say where the community is ok as a complete entity with paying ill edit it. Im nothing but fair and I want this to reflect the views of the people who are unhappy or suprised at the very least.
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On February 14 2012 09:47 Skilledblob wrote:
I didnt even know that MLG was changing to PPV. Would have been a great surprise when the arena started. Well I guess after the next arena they'll see that the PPV wont work.
The Pro Circuit isn't PPV, only the Arenas.
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On February 14 2012 09:54 ZeromuS wrote:Show nested quote +On February 14 2012 09:50 Angel_ wrote:
Please do not include me in your "we". I do not find PPV in the least bit favorable or acceptable. PP season? Sure. Pay per year? sure. Pay per specific content while leaving the general stream free? Sure. All or nothing single event? Fuck no; terrible model for esports to try to grow on, too many other free streams to even work in the first place. Frankly I think most of the people supporting it do so because they feel they "owe" MLG or they think that PPV is the only feasible way for esports to continue to grow. I state that many of us find moving to PPV understandable but thats it a lot of money on short notice. If you point out where I definitively say where the community is ok as a complete entity with paying ill edit it. Im nothing but fair and I want this to reflect the views of the people who are unhappy or suprised at the very least.
your two words right after "understandable". you don't need to edit though =], i'm just stating where I stand.
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You've only seen MLG in 2011? Oh you.
Back in my day MLG weekend was $10 and we got less than a quarter of the content that we've been promised for the Winter Arena. You wanna about getting "bang-for-your-buck", look at buying MLG pre-SC2. That's the real shit. This whole blood/sweat/passion shit needs to end. It can't last forever.
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On February 14 2012 09:53 Odal wrote:Show nested quote +On February 14 2012 09:50 Angel_ wrote:
Please do not include me in your "we". I do not find PPV in the least bit favorable or acceptable. PP season? Sure. Pay per year? sure. Pay per specific content while leaving the general stream free? Sure. All or nothing single event? Fuck no; terrible model for esports to try to grow on, too many other free streams to even work in the first place. Frankly I think most of the people supporting it do so because they feel they "owe" MLG or they think that PPV is the only feasible way for esports to continue to grow. Please enlighten us on a better model that is going to pay for huge prize pools and high quality streams. Along with affording event locations, employees, and player accommodations. Everyone wants incredibly high quality content, but nobody wants to pay. Trust me, I would LOVE to continue to get great tournament streams free, but it simply isn't feasible when the people running them need to make a living.
ad-supported LQ stream + HQ stream for premium users. What really annoys me though is that MLG Gold members have to pay too even though MLG advertised it as pay once and get to see everything.
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On February 14 2012 10:20 Skilledblob wrote:Show nested quote +On February 14 2012 09:53 Odal wrote:On February 14 2012 09:50 Angel_ wrote:
Please do not include me in your "we". I do not find PPV in the least bit favorable or acceptable. PP season? Sure. Pay per year? sure. Pay per specific content while leaving the general stream free? Sure. All or nothing single event? Fuck no; terrible model for esports to try to grow on, too many other free streams to even work in the first place. Frankly I think most of the people supporting it do so because they feel they "owe" MLG or they think that PPV is the only feasible way for esports to continue to grow. Please enlighten us on a better model that is going to pay for huge prize pools and high quality streams. Along with affording event locations, employees, and player accommodations. Everyone wants incredibly high quality content, but nobody wants to pay. Trust me, I would LOVE to continue to get great tournament streams free, but it simply isn't feasible when the people running them need to make a living. ad-supported LQ stream + HQ stream for premium users. MLG made big profits with this model thanks to the SC2 community and I dont see a reason why it would not work for the Arena too. What really annoys me though is that MLG Gold members have to pay too even though MLG advertised it as pay once and get to see everything.
mlg lost its ass event over event. every single live event costs more them a million dollars and there where at most 260k watching at nationals. to give a comparison NFL sold its ad rights for 3.5 m viewers for only six figures. online advertisement is shit for a large event. .
gold members still get hd for the 5 live events and it looks like they're going to get serious with game battles I think that they are going to be selling a hd pass only thing but for now they're trying to create as much non live event content as they can.
You should have probably just not said that you posted it on reddit. Just saying.
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Calgary25954 Posts
Why do people write these open letters instead of just emailing MLG management directly? I don't get it.
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Calgary25954 Posts
On February 14 2012 10:20 Skilledblob wrote:Show nested quote +On February 14 2012 09:53 Odal wrote:On February 14 2012 09:50 Angel_ wrote:
Please do not include me in your "we". I do not find PPV in the least bit favorable or acceptable. PP season? Sure. Pay per year? sure. Pay per specific content while leaving the general stream free? Sure. All or nothing single event? Fuck no; terrible model for esports to try to grow on, too many other free streams to even work in the first place. Frankly I think most of the people supporting it do so because they feel they "owe" MLG or they think that PPV is the only feasible way for esports to continue to grow. Please enlighten us on a better model that is going to pay for huge prize pools and high quality streams. Along with affording event locations, employees, and player accommodations. Everyone wants incredibly high quality content, but nobody wants to pay. Trust me, I would LOVE to continue to get great tournament streams free, but it simply isn't feasible when the people running them need to make a living. ad-supported LQ stream + HQ stream for premium users. MLG made big profits with this model thanks to the SC2 community and I dont see a reason why it would not work for the Arena too. What really annoys me though is that MLG Gold members have to pay too even though MLG advertised it as pay once and get to see everything.
Citation needed.
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On February 14 2012 10:47 Chill wrote:
Why do people write these open letters instead of just emailing MLG management directly? I don't get it.
shhhh ^_^
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On February 14 2012 10:48 Chill wrote:Show nested quote +On February 14 2012 10:20 Skilledblob wrote:On February 14 2012 09:53 Odal wrote:On February 14 2012 09:50 Angel_ wrote:
Please do not include me in your "we". I do not find PPV in the least bit favorable or acceptable. PP season? Sure. Pay per year? sure. Pay per specific content while leaving the general stream free? Sure. All or nothing single event? Fuck no; terrible model for esports to try to grow on, too many other free streams to even work in the first place. Frankly I think most of the people supporting it do so because they feel they "owe" MLG or they think that PPV is the only feasible way for esports to continue to grow. Please enlighten us on a better model that is going to pay for huge prize pools and high quality streams. Along with affording event locations, employees, and player accommodations. Everyone wants incredibly high quality content, but nobody wants to pay. Trust me, I would LOVE to continue to get great tournament streams free, but it simply isn't feasible when the people running them need to make a living. ad-supported LQ stream + HQ stream for premium users. MLG made big profits with this model thanks to the SC2 community and I dont see a reason why it would not work for the Arena too. What really annoys me though is that MLG Gold members have to pay too even though MLG advertised it as pay once and get to see everything. Citation needed.
was me mixing something up with another interview sundance gave.
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On February 14 2012 10:47 Chill wrote:
Why do people write these open letters instead of just emailing MLG management directly? I don't get it.
Post counts.
In other news, people, chill the f--- out. It's only the Arena ones that are going PPV - not Pro-Circuits as well.
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=311652
MLG is using this as a testing ground for a possibly more sustainable model. In order to continue delivering content to the community and expanding on this existing content, they need more resources - one way to do that is charge per view. Is that a new thing? No, lots of other cable channels have pay per view options where you pay a certain amount to view content during that period. Is it a bad thing then? In my opinion, no. Moving to a proper business and revenue generating model puts the onus on MLG to up their standards and improve content, streams, casters, sets and player lists. By providing a paid service to the community, it's up to MLG to up their game so that this exclusive group of people will keep watching and people will keep subscribing to their tournaments. If they've proven to be able to set the benchmark with this business model then the community as a whole will benefit from it.
In any case, VODs for the Winter Arena will be posted one week later for free users so it's not like the guys who don't want to pay are going to miss out on the content entirely - you'll just get it later.
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Canada13378 Posts
On February 14 2012 10:47 Chill wrote:
Why do people write these open letters instead of just emailing MLG management directly? I don't get it.
I can email it (which I did) and I can post it so they see some traction 
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The issue I have with treating SC2 like a traditional sports market, is that it's nothing at all like a traditional sports market. Take MMA as an example. The only time you can watch good UFC is when they put it up for pay-per-view, or a while later, after the buzz is gone
With starcraft, there's almost always >100 people streaming that one can watch.
With MMA, someone can't just go fight if they don't have pro fights to watch, it's a very isloated experience
With starcraft, I can go play, or watch one of the 234234234234 replays from the internet of pro players
I really feel like this isn't going to go well for them
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I think people still dont realise that advertising in the e-sports market is boarderline USELESS.. Because of the way the internet works. You literally need millions and millions of people to watch in order to get a good revenue stream from advertising (that reaches your entire audience)...
The fact that the majority of viewers will stand up and walk away from an ad then come back to watch the content says pretty much all of it.
Only IT companies can benefit from advertising in the e-sports industry, and the ones that are involved do not have either the cash or the reason to buy the advertising.
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On February 14 2012 14:10 FXOpen wrote:
I think people still dont realise that advertising in the e-sports market is boarderline USELESS.. Because of the way the internet works. You literally need millions and millions of people to watch in order to get a good revenue stream from advertising (that reaches your entire audience)...
The fact that the majority of viewers will stand up and walk away from an ad then come back to watch the content says pretty much all of it.
Only IT companies can benefit from advertising in the e-sports industry, and the ones that are involved do not have either the cash or the reason to buy the advertising.
Then the rest of the world needs to start solving the problem the way korea did:
Let's start spending these resources and finding the sponsors and investors to televise this shit.
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EPT
