On February 21 2012 10:25 Liight wrote: Gonna be funny to see what happens, when mlg loses more than half of the viewers.
You have to realize the fact that the majority of the gaming community is kids and teenagers that either have no money or no credit card or arent in a position to pay anything over the internet.... God knows how many wow players only play wow because of the game cards.
If mlg is expecting or hoping for the same or more viewers, then this is just going to be a disaster.
They dont need the same or even half there viewers. If they have half the viewers they usually have then this is an overwhelming success on a near unpresedented level. They are hoping for 10-15% of there viewers to pay for the arena stream which is a feasable possibility.
I'm sure they'll make a larger profit if even 5% of the usual MLG viewers pay. Long term though they lose out on the exposure from the other 95%.. the players lose out, the sponsers lose out, etc. etc.
All the typical hype players get after winning or having a good showing in a MLG is going to be severly diminished.
It's fun for me to sit around for 1/2 my weekend and watch starcraft when a big tournament is going on, but it's also not very productive. When it's free and I don't have a lot of other things going on I'll do it, but I'm not going to spend $20 to sit around all weekend. The excitement is also pretty dampened when you're catching a replay a week later assuming that's going to be a free option so I'll probably only watch the finals/semi-finals and maybe another match or two that really stands out.
I guess if I had some friends who were into SC2 as well it'd be worth it to drop the $20 and watch with a few buddies, but I don't know anyone who does so it's too big of an expense for me to sit around on my computer all weekend.
The PPV style of business isnt so untested that they dont know how to grow the brand. The trick is that once you have a large enough audiance that you make a profit you reinvest your profit into smaller free events that make people want to see the PPV events even more. The reigonal qualifiers are an effective example of that. If they reinvested money into upping the production value of them and showing us the path each qualifieing player took it would invest the viewer more making people want to see the grand resolution only on PPV. This is the standard model used by UFC, Boxing and Wrestling companies to make mass amounts of money over the years.
On February 22 2012 10:10 Adreme wrote: The PPV style of business isnt so untested that they dont know how to grow the brand. The trick is that once you have a large enough audiance that you make a profit you reinvest your profit into smaller free events that make people want to see the PPV events even more. The reigonal qualifiers are an effective example of that. If they reinvested money into upping the production value of them and showing us the path each qualifieing player took it would invest the viewer more making people want to see the grand resolution only on PPV. This is the standard model used by UFC, Boxing and Wrestling companies to make mass amounts of money over the years.
Well thats true but you can only pull that off when you have something special. And does MLG have the same status in SC2 scene as for exmaple UFC in MMA? Dont think so.... you cant even compare it to be honest cause it's totally different. For example, UFC cant make PPV a succes like it is now when the same fighters can be watched for free (or for much less) a week or somewhat later. And that is possible with SC2 players, you can see a lot of those players play big matches for free on a regular base and sometimes even better quality streams cause MLG is only 720p....
If MLG wants to make PPV a succes they need to expand it with daily passes, match passes, bump it up to 1080p etc etc and they need to make it a lot cheaper, $20dollars is insane and it will fail.
i think the best business model for MLG is something like this
id say the best idea will be to make it PPV, however say that if you buy a pass more than 2 weeks away from the event it only costs 10 dollars, then make it 20 dollars if you buy it within 2weeks of the event
then 5days before the event MLG can come out and say "hey we actually decided to make it free to watch now. theres a free stream with ads and the PPV passes have access to the bonus streams"
that way they can trick rich people into paying money and still have a free stream for poor people
I was originally going to attend a Barcraft for the final day of the WInter Arena, as well as bringing a friend with me. The MLG representative on SotG (as well as Sundance in Lo3) have actually completely turned me away from an event I really wanted to attend and enjoy. I feel wrong and dirty going to watch an event run by such an incompetent company who claims they have fixed issues by "firing people" and still don't believe that they screwed over their gold members. Now I'm inviting my friend over to watch Assembly with me, and if there is a way to donate money, I will totally donate Assembly $5.
MLG, you're doing a great job at losing your viewer base, and these "Q&As" you've been doing and giving fluffy and straight out rude and insulting answer to are not helping you gain ANYONE back. Hope the players at MLG have fun, I won't know because I'm not watching an MLG ever again.
There has been a lot of controversy in regard to the new PPV model that MLG, for the first time, attemtped to apply into a 2-day internet streaming only tournament. I think that this will be a very high quality in terms of its content, as MLG is flying out the top class players around the world and casters, especially when MLG had run some awesome events in the last season. However, it is a bad business attempt in my opinion for the following reasons: 1. Price 20$. Okay. People pay more than 100$ a year to watch NBA on its internet stream. People pay about the same price as Winter Arena for GSL/month. Then why is MLG Winter Arena over-priced? This tournament is just freaking 2-day tournament and its not even the main event like NBA Playoffs, as an example. It is basically like a qualifier with high prize pool for its next actual event; MLG Winter Championship Ohio. Also, MLG Winter Arena is not a open live-event where they have spectators and journalists, who make the event more exciting and more respectable. While I fully understand that small MLG office can't accomodate people else than the players, and that they have to develop some sort of profitable business models to keep their investors interested, but eSports simply isn't big enough to charge 20$ for such small amount of contents, but not the actual quality.
2. Publicity MLG scheduled the event on the same date as the Winter Assembly in Paris. Although it might be that MLG already had this in plan, the date for the Winter Assembly had been announced long time ago even the MLG season 2011 has ended. If MLG wants makes the new PPV model to work as a valid business model, the tournament has to be the time when people have no other option but MLG Winter Arena. I'm sure MLG had a chance to reschedule things especially since the tournament is happening in their own office anyway. I'm a eSports fanatic, and may be a MLG ass-kisser like someone have described people like me as. I'm planning on watching both of the tournaments eventhough it would cost me the unreasonable amount because I'm a no-life, and need-to-get-laid pethetic as described by other fellow TL member for people watching multiple video game streams at a time over the weekends. However, I'm not happy how MLG approached to us, the fans, as to announce the stream will cost 20$ to watch just two-weeks before the events. I mean, as many other eSports fans here, I have my own stuffs to do and some friends to hang-out with, and I put off my other plans to watch "Supposed-to-be Free" MLG stream. All the sudden MLG says okay now we have to charge you 20$. I'm still going to watch it, duh, but I can't be too happy with they've made me pay now when its just 2 weeks before the event.
Conclusion: Please, don't say stuffs like, "if you support eSports, put your money into this" when you're making a highly unfavorable business model for customers. I understand there are many reasons behind in the course of launching this tournament, but come on. You could have at least give us the explanations for these seemingly unreasonable way of running a tournament. That's what SNS is for. While it is inevitable to make profitable business model to get investors's interests, failing to do so will investors rather withdraw their money from the industry. I hope to MLG undestands this and improves on their business model in next tournaments to come.
This is a tricky issue because I'm a gold member but I don't know if I want to spend $20 for a weekend tournament when Assembly is there for free with similarly intriguing matchups. I can afford it but I don't think I want to.
If I give my money to MLG as a precedent, will this go toward better content that surpasses other competition or will they say "Thanks, Spring Arena is $40."?
Can't wait to say "I told you so" to all the haters in this thread who were so certain of failure when the Winter Arena has a decent number of viewers watching the best players and casters on the planet.
On February 24 2012 12:10 Doodsmack wrote: Can't wait to say "I told you so" to all the haters in this thread who were so certain of failure when the Winter Arena has a decent number of viewers watching the best players and casters on the planet.
All the "haters" will be watching assembly, for free.
On February 24 2012 12:03 coverpunch wrote: This is a tricky issue because I'm a gold member but I don't know if I want to spend $20 for a weekend tournament when Assembly is there for free with similarly intriguing matchups. I can afford it but I don't think I want to.
If I give my money to MLG as a precedent, will this go toward better content that surpasses other competition or will they say "Thanks, Spring Arena is $40."?
Well I believe they were saying that they wouldn't go up from $20.
On February 24 2012 12:10 Doodsmack wrote: Can't wait to say "I told you so" to all the haters in this thread who were so certain of failure when the Winter Arena has a decent number of viewers watching the best players and casters on the planet.
All the "haters" will be watching assembly, for free.
Look at the schedules for both events. There is very little overlap even though they are on the same weekend. MLG watchers aren't going to missout on Assembly. "Haters" are going to miss out on MLG.
On February 22 2012 10:10 Adreme wrote: The PPV style of business isnt so untested that they dont know how to grow the brand. The trick is that once you have a large enough audiance that you make a profit you reinvest your profit into smaller free events that make people want to see the PPV events even more. The reigonal qualifiers are an effective example of that. If they reinvested money into upping the production value of them and showing us the path each qualifieing player took it would invest the viewer more making people want to see the grand resolution only on PPV. This is the standard model used by UFC, Boxing and Wrestling companies to make mass amounts of money over the years.
Well thats true but you can only pull that off when you have something special. And does MLG have the same status in SC2 scene as for exmaple UFC in MMA? Dont think so.... you cant even compare it to be honest cause it's totally different. For example, UFC cant make PPV a succes like it is now when the same fighters can be watched for free (or for much less) a week or somewhat later. And that is possible with SC2 players, you can see a lot of those players play big matches for free on a regular base and sometimes even better quality streams cause MLG is only 720p....
If MLG wants to make PPV a succes they need to expand it with daily passes, match passes, bump it up to 1080p etc etc and they need to make it a lot cheaper, $20dollars is insane and it will fail.
UFC didnt start out big. It started out as a niche blood sport with no appeal and was getting banned in a majority of the states.
Ugh. I cannot believe gold membership doesn't at least get discount. I am not hard strapped for cash as most are, but it will still be a gametime decision on if I buy or not. I don't want to buy, but what else am I going to do working nights?
On February 24 2012 12:38 diddLY wrote: Ugh. I cannot believe gold membership doesn't at least get discount. I am not hard strapped for cash as most are, but it will still be a gametime decision on if I buy or not. I don't want to buy, but what else am I going to do working nights?
On February 24 2012 12:38 diddLY wrote: Ugh. I cannot believe gold membership doesn't at least get discount. I am not hard strapped for cash as most are, but it will still be a gametime decision on if I buy or not. I don't want to buy, but what else am I going to do working nights?
Gold Members get a 5$ discount.
I don't see that info anywhere? I'm just catching up on everything though so the things I have read are over a week old. I'll keep looking around.
On February 24 2012 12:38 diddLY wrote: Ugh. I cannot believe gold membership doesn't at least get discount. I am not hard strapped for cash as most are, but it will still be a gametime decision on if I buy or not. I don't want to buy, but what else am I going to do working nights?
Gold Members get a 5$ discount.
I don't see that info anywhere? I'm just catching up on everything though so the things I have read are over a week old. I'll keep looking around.
You should have gotten an email (check your junk mail) with a code for the discount.
On February 24 2012 12:38 diddLY wrote: Ugh. I cannot believe gold membership doesn't at least get discount. I am not hard strapped for cash as most are, but it will still be a gametime decision on if I buy or not. I don't want to buy, but what else am I going to do working nights?
Gold Members get a 5$ discount.
I don't see that info anywhere? I'm just catching up on everything though so the things I have read are over a week old. I'll keep looking around.
You should have gotten an email (check your junk mail) with a code for the discount.
EPT
