|
I feel like after seeing the uproar this has caused, the next time and MLG Arena whatever they have rolls around, and they're still exploring this PPV model, they might drop it down to 15 or even 10 dollars. It's all about equilibrium. 20 dollars is probably too high a price to pay for 3 days of SC2, even if it will have excellent games, casting and presentation.
I would, however, be happy to shell out 10 dollars every 3 months (I think that's what they said, but it might be slightly more often) to watch 3 days of awesome SC2 action.
I do think that all the people saying things like "So dumb lol its not the UFC. what sports are PPV other then Boxing UFC which is switching to free and WWE all fighting not gonna work out well for mlg" need to think a little bit harder about what they're saying before they say it. We don't know what the MLG Winter Arena is going to be like. It could be complete shit and a waste of 20 bucks, where everyone just probe rushes every game naniwa style. OR, it could be an orgasmic wonderland of starcraft entertainment, where you have to change your pants every 5 minutes or else they get glued to you, and completely worth 20 dollars. The people who are purchasing the PPV ticket (not me though, wtf is money even?) are taking a risk, and for our collective sakes, I hope it turns out to be a good investment.
|
Its not that they want to charge. Charging is resonable but its just the cost. I think 5 dollars for LQ stream and 10 to 15 for hd would be very resonable. I would gladly pay 5 for a low quality stream and probably even end up paying 15 for aHQ. The 20 with no other alternative is just way too steep for a produuct so new and unproven.
|
yeah mlg great decisions as always... losing 70 percent of their viewers and no ads.... really bad idea imo i think if they would have made it like 10 dollars at least half of those who wont buy now would buy
|
I think the better option is for MLG to do what they've been doing, having a paid and free viewing service. Mabe they could get their sponsors to "interactive advertisements" or run an advertisement every 5-10 minutes during the hour long crowd shots in order to increase the revenue.
I know I'd be glad to fill out a 30 second - 3 minute survey for redbull / whoever to watch MLG without paying.
|
My problem is not the price, but rather the way they chose to announce it. I can't honestly believe they didn't have this planned from the start. Seem to me like they wanted people to be excited for the event and then break the news. "Oh we didn't tell you? Its PPV only." Just hoping Sundance has anything reasonable to say on Live on 3.
|
People saying "seems like the community want everything for free" needs to realize that when it comes to TV you pay a set amount of money per month and then get everything. It should be the same for the sc2 leagues. Nobody really knows what you will need to pay and how much in 2012. If you need to pay for MLG, gsl, IPL, NASL etc etc etc and all of these leagues have the same payment. It will be alot of money for the consumers.
NOTICE: a big part of the viewers are not old enough to pay online and will have to ask their parents. For every event, every league..
|
I don't mind them trying, but better business model required.
|
i feel the problem is not the price but that have to pay from the internet as some of us are not old enough to do it our self it is kinda a hassel....
|
On February 16 2012 03:03 WhiteWOR wrote: People saying "seems like the community want everything for free" needs to realize that when it comes to TV you pay a set amount of money per month and then get everything. It should be the same for the sc2 leagues. Nobody really knows what you will need to pay and how much in 2012. If you need to pay for MLG, gsl, IPL, NASL etc etc etc and all of these leagues have the same payment. It will be alot of money for the consumers.
NOTICE: a big part of the viewers are not old enough to pay online and will have to ask their parents. For every event, every league.. No, with TV you pay a set amount based on which channel packages you subscribe to, and then there are PPV events you can purchase on top of that. In that regard, the SC2 scene doesn't look much different from regular TV right now; GOMTV has their monthly/yearly subscriptions (consider them a TV channel -- which they actually are in Asia) while MLG Arenas are PPV events. I take it you're not the one who handles the finances in your household.
EDIT: I'd also like to think that MLG is not trying to target people with no disposable income of their own (e.g. kids who would have to ask their parents to purchase things online). Why would you go after a market that cannot provide revenue? There's nothing there for a business except for bankruptcy.
MLG's gambit here is determining exactly how large the actual, revenue-generating esports market is, which in turn will tell them if MLG is actually capable of generating a profit, or if they should call it a day. If 2011 was about gauging interest in esports, 2012 is about gauging its financial viability.
|
way too expensive for a service that they will be getting tons of revenue from sponsors alone.
|
On February 16 2012 01:14 Garoodah wrote: I think MLG is trying to make esports into a larger market far too quickly.
For GSL quality-like content involving GSL quality-like players... I don't see how it can be free. Perhaps the steep is a bit high at first, but I think an interesting business model for tournaments must be established. I paid for the full GSL season for the first time this year and i'm still amazed about the quality of the casts. We, in Canada, have to pay to watch boxing or UFC events (at least cableTV). I would gladly do the same for an e-sport event. Plus, you can still join a barCraft of meet up at a friend house to split the cost. The week-end at my geekLair with my nerds is gonna be so amazing!!
|
considering spectator passes were 25 bucks and you got to be there and meet the people, i think charging is a terrible idea unless its for HD with no lag or interruptions. I had the premium mlg viewer from hotpockets last year and the streams would cut in and out at times
|
10 dollar is ok 20 dollar is not
i always felt like mlg is the one event with the best marketing around, they have some sickass sponsors and the production itself looks so professional. but its not worth to pay 20dollars for one weekend, thats tooooo much
|
If MLG can be more successful with this business model, then good for them and I hope they do well.. I don't think they'll do better this way, but i'm fine with them trying new things in a novel industry to see what works
|
Yeeaaahhh, because PPV did so much to help the sport of boxing...
Bad idea.
|
I like the idea of MLG having PPV tournaments and I support them and the way they've been advancing ESPORTS, but $20 for a single-weekend tournament is rather steep.
|
Damn, doesn't look good for MLG, 80% are not paying.
I for one won't pay, as I think 20$ is a bit too much for 2 days, when you get almost 3 months of GSL for less than that. I have bought GSL S1 ticket, and although there's going to be people saying 'what's 20$', the fact is there are a lot of ways to entertain yourself for money (games, books, comics, movies....) so paying money to 2-3 SC2 leagues is not really an option.
Also, MLG air times are usually at bad times for Europeans (finals so far have always aired at around 02:00 after midnight).
|
Just more incentive to go to BARCRAFTS EVERYONE!!! :D :D :D :D
|
I look at these PPV events as an extra event that people can take or leave, it's simple but there it is. I won't buy because I can quite happily watch other events at a more euro friendly time.
I would strongly disagree that PPV events grow the scene in anyway. All these do is skim the current viewer market for those willing to pay extra. Just like when new tech first comes out the price is at a premium and a certain small percentage of the consumer market will pay that inflated price whilst everyone else is happy to wait a few months for the price to come down. In this case the VODS will be free to watch after a week (I think I read somewhere), that's when I may watch some of them.
There's nothing wrong with MLG trying this because some people are willing to pay, they know only a small percentage will pay to watch but they must of done projections and they know or estimate that enough will pay. More events for those willing to pay, same amount of events for those unwilling to pay. I don't see much of a problem currently.
|
Wow, that's a pretty strong and fairly lopsided response O_o
|
|
|
|