EPTeSports life!
About a month ago, I decided to take a pretty big step in funding an event myself - just a $200 show match. The timing probably could have been better, as I had just purchased a new PC for streaming and gaming - didn't come cheap, but the price I pay to be ready to go to 4k when it is mainstream. Now a $200 event isn't going to break the bank, but from the outset I wanted it to become sustainable. Prior to the event starting, I did a lot of marketing and promo about the event and the aims to make it a regular thing. Things went well and I got a pretty fantastic turnout in terms of viewers. I learnt two things form this event:
- Despite getting 10k views, I only gained a handful of new subs to my twitch channel, a few $ of donations and far too little ad revenue - the event ran at a big loss (which was more than expected)
- Individuals really do save eSports - 3 generous donations were paid to me after the event in order to fund future show matches, 2 per month for the next 4-5 months!
It was intense! My aim before starting any of my own events was to be able to put on a show match twice a month. I achieved it pretty damn quick - not quite how I planned but it still is happening but happening non the less.
So from now, what am I planning?
Silly as it may sound, I am still pumping all donation / subscriber income into putting on more content. Ideally, I would like to get to the point I can support those 2 show matches per month with a regular eSports income (subs / donations / ad revenue). The reason being is that while a few substantial donations are great, they aren't fantastic to rely on for a long term series of content.
Next, I would love to get together funding to put on a mini-tournament around Sept / Oct time when the bi-weekly show matches reach their current financial end. Invite all the winners of the show matches to duke it out - again though, putting on an event like that for the level of players I am inviting to show matches would require about $2k for the prize pool. Hopefully I can get together the funds to start looking at that, either through viewership and sub/donations or via sponsorship.
Worth noting, all of this comes before turning anything in way of a profit from eSports on my side. I'm not a saint & in the future I certainly hope to make money from eSports but I am of the belief that if that day should come, it must be justified. I very much look to TaKeTV for inspiration, generate great content first and foremost. Only once I can sustain regular, high quality content would I look to generate an income - hopefully my ability as a caster and event organizer will grow to a level I am deserving of doing that
Now... onto my other life that many of you may not know about:
Paralympic Athlete for the United Kingdom
Proof: My GB twitter account
This probably needs some background, so here is a quick timeline:
I was born with a genetic bone condition called Osteogenesis Imperfecta - commonly known as Brittle Bones. This is why many of you who have seen me on WCS EU or other steams may have noticed I am not the tallest man in the world. It also means I have broken about 70+ major bones throughout my 22 years of life as well as have had to have my spine fused surgically in my teens. Despite that though, it has given me some amazing opportunities and many life skills that really have made me who I am today!
In July 2013 - I was scouted by the Olympic sport body in the UK to try out for a few different Paralympic Sports. I got this opportunity as I had played Wheelchair Basketball for many years to a high national level, but never international. Upon initial testing, the national Canoe / Kayaking team were very interested in me for kayak sprint (200m). At the end of Aug'13 I joined the Paralympic team and at the end of September moved permanently across the country to train 5 days a week.
Since then, I have been making steady gains, going from complete novice to getting times that would give me a good chance at a world championship medal. I can't give exact times due to them being somewhat secret until competitions, but in the time I have exceeded all expectations and am hoping to compete at this summers World Championships with the long term goal of the Rio 2016 Paralympic games. The biggest challenge I face comes from within the UK, only 1 athlete per event may go to the world and European championships per year, the other athlete for my event in the UK got silver last year (missing out only fractionally on gold) and is an incredibly talented and accomplished athlete!
The race that will decide if I go to the worlds this year in my main event is occurring on the 14/15th June, this weekend. Unfortunately, the week after last months race I injured my shoulder and had to take 2 weeks off of training while I was getting physio / medical treatment on it. This has meant I have had very little prep time going into this weekends race, certainly adding to the stress!
So how do they tie together?
I am incredibly fortunate in that the two lives fit together exceptionally well, while I train 5 days a week for kayaking these are in a couple of hour sessions per day. Being a very physically demanding sprint sport, short intense sessions are the way to go. This leaves me with a decent amount of time during the day to relax / do eSports back end work and also leaves me with every evening free to stream / cast (I also live with my amazingly supportive and awesome girlfriend who can put up with my hectic work! Helps she loves SC2 and eSports too! :D).
Competing and training with the aim to be the best in the world, as a funded athlete also gives me a pretty unique perspective on eSports as a sport (to which I think it is) and also on pro players. While I never aim to be a super analytical caster, I can massively appreciate the psychological position of players - the stress they are under during competition and within their training & also the up's and downs they go through within their careers. There are many similarities to those I experience myself within my sporting career, the big difference though comes from support staff - pro players (especially semi-pro) have to do it all mainly alone. I get the benefit of MANY coaches, medical and psychological staff and mentors. It makes me admire all the more pro players who still compete with just as much (if not more in some cases) pressure with nothing but friends and family (which some do not even have).
I realise I have written quite the wall of text - if people are interested I am happy to write up some more blogs in the future + answer any questions people may have!
Thanks all those who have taken the time to read, hopefully catch you in my Twitch chat or YouTube comment section!
<3 Madals
