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How I See Esports, Promotion, and Our Role in Growth

Nobus3r1

House of Bane; ID: 8V596
I'd like to chime in as a person who really isnt relevant competition wise but community wise. Guys like Reo and I who arent winning any tournaments but are actively creating content and converting casuals into competitors I believe are unsung heroes. I think its a market that needs to be explored more. guys with lots of exposure like the top 16 of IPS, any of them could do the same and bring in a much bigger audience and thus improve the competition tenfold. Pot bonuses and sponsors are one avenue but theres so many more ways to earn income and be a professional gamer outside of just hoping you place top 8 and I really dont think people are using those resources enough.
I think that this is an area were NRS's past behavior (and hopefully only past behavior) has done a tremendous amount of harm. In short, the fact that NRS has repeatedly proven that they are willing to nerf (and usually over-nerf) anything that's OP or that has a sufficient volume of people claim is OP has IMO made those who're good at finding such things incredibly reluctant to broadcast their existence until they've managed to utilize said OP tech to get paid. I would say that the "Hide this shit from the developers" mindset is, if I had to guess, a reason that's likely made a lot of top players reluctant to broadcast what they're working on.
I do think only top 8 should get paid out and I think thats fair, but for the rest of the top 16 to do absolutely nothing with the amount of exposure they're getting is really a waste. Theres tons of money to be had by the opportunity alone
I think that talking in absolutes about payouts is a bad idea. It should be flexible. How deep the payout goes should be entirely dependent on how much money is being paid out. I think that the Magic: the Gathering Grand Prix payout table that I linked to a page or so ago is the sort of thing that the FGC should be shooting for. In the short term this may take a tiny bite out of the first place slice (this is also why this sort of proposal sees so much resistance) but in the long run it's almost certainly going to result in a bigger pie for everyone.
 

God Confirm

We're all from Earthrealm. If not, cool pic brah.
Oh I see, it was a joke. Cause' it actually sounded like a good idea, oh well then.
maybe at surface level, but if you stop and think about it it's more likely to drive people off streams then actually improve numbers
 

SM StarGazer

The voice of reason in a Sea of Salt
Leet's start a Week Of: Series. Anyone.

In Three weeks we start a Week Of series where we highlight a character, go thorugh strings, normals, combos, setups, and MU's. Then we hold a Best Of, that weekend where we start a tournament of the best people of that character. Would be fun to see who gets crowned best Grodd.
 
Leet's start a Week Of: Series. Anyone.

In Three weeks we start a Week Of series where we highlight a character, go thorugh strings, normals, combos, setups, and MU's. Then we hold a Best Of, that weekend where we start a tournament of the best people of that character. Would be fun to see who gets crowned best Grodd.
I would rather die than participate in a tournament of Dr Fate mirror matches for the opportunity of more exposure.

- Icarus
 

HoneyBee

Flash God Lord
You cant compare Gross and Madzin. Ok lets put it into a different perspective, Honeybee makes 2nd at evo, instant sponsor, I make 2nd at evo, nobody talks what so ever. St9rm makes 4th at ESL finals, not a word, Gross makes 4th at IPS and its the biggest thing ever.

You can act like money is being pumped into EU but you're wrong. Its not luck that the americans (+bio) came here, its proof to my point, they were all sponsored to come here, whereas, no EU players are sponsored to go over there. 0, NONE, ZEEEEEEEERO.
To add onto what @KingHippo said regarding my sponsorship, you have to take into account what sponsors were in the scene when you got 2nd in 2015 vs me getting 2nd in 2017.

2015 NRS Sponsors:
Critical Reaction
Yomi

2017 NRS Sponsors:
Echo Fox
NASR
Noble
Rogue
Renegades
Beastcoast
Eanix
F3
Method
PxP?

Sponsors are way bigger and way better now than two years ago. When I was with cR, while I appreciate what they did for me, I was getting pennies compared to now because there simply wasn't any big sponsors in the scene at that time.

I have no idea what PxP provides for you but if you want a bigger sponsor, I 100% suggest being solo for a while cause being with a sponsor prevents other sponsors from approaching you. I wasn't really approached after my 2nd place at EVO cause at the time I was still cR.

Also, my bro went to EU in August 100% on his own dime. Just throwing that out there.
 

Tweedy

Noob
Can we talk about how Foxy said Madzin has made 4 world finals when many, many NA players could have made 3 of those through the EU side of ESL.

We had guys like Foreverking missing ESL finals, while anyone with a beating heart would have made it through on the EU side, due to weaker competition and Russians falling out with no visas.
 

SM StarGazer

The voice of reason in a Sea of Salt
Can we talk about how Foxy said Madzin has made 4 world finals when many, many NA players could have made 3 of those through the EU side of ESL.

We had guys like Foreverking missing ESL finals, while anyone with a beating heart would have made it through on the EU side, due to weaker competition and Russians falling out with no visas.
Tweedy just called out an entire NATION!! SAVAVE!!!
 

Shock

Administrator
Premium Supporter
If anyone wants to analyze some numbers, I have a lot of data that could shed some light on why the numbers go up and down, which tournaments get more attention or promotion and which days/what was being streamed. As a secondary streamer but a consistent NRS streamer, these are events that for the most part included NRS titles but I left out most VSM weeklies, which averaged 200-400 viewers per week over about 18 months, also Red Bank Rumble bi weeklies which rarely broke 100 or the few times I subbed for Jaxel at the Break. I feel like there's a noticeable build but the jumps and dives are constant due to waning interest every cycle.

All totals are max concurrents for the day.

2011

Seasons Beatings Velocity - Saturday October 15th - MK9 Pools: 450
KN Invitational from YesterCades - Saturday November 12 - 8 Player Invite Only MK9 Tournament: 236

2012

KN Revolution X from YesterCades - Sunday January 22nd 2012 - MK9 Tournament: 591
KN On The Edge - Saturday February 11th - MK9 Tournament: 230
Winter Brawl 6 - Saturday February 18th - MK9 Pools: 697
KN 9.95 Memorial Fundraiser - Saturday February 26th - Various MK titles: 360
KN On The Edge II Day 1 - Saturday May 12th - MK9: 195
KN On The Edge II Day 2 - Sunday May 13th - MK9 Finals: 524
Summer Jam 6 - Saturday August 26th - MK9 Pools 240 (Bifuteki Split Streamed for us due to 995 being stuck in the hurricane)
NEC 13 - Saturday December 1st - MK9 Pools: 562

2013

KN Operation Wolf from YesterCades - Saturday January 26th: MK9 Tournament: 371
Winter Brawl 7 - Saturday February 23rd - MK9: 544
KN Injustice Release Party - Tuesday April 16th - Injustice Party: 393
KN VSM - Thursday April 25th - First Injustice Tournament: 950
KN Project Injustice from YesterCades - Friday April 27 - Injustice: 704
KN On The Edge 3 - Saturday May 11th - Injustce and various NRS: 1197
ECT V Day 1 - Saturday May 18th - Injustice Pools and various NRS: 2257
ECT V Day 2 - Sunday May 19th - Injustce Top 32 + UMK3 Russia Exhibition: 2406
GUTS II - Saturday June 15th - Injustice Pools: 198
KN 9.95 Memorial Fundraiser - Saturday June 22nd - Injustice and various NRS: 537
KN Rampage from YesterCades - Saturday July 27th - Injustice Tournament: 114
KN Marlboro Slaughterhouse - Saturday August 3rd - Injustice Tournament: 214
Summer Jam 7 Day 1 - Saturday August 17th - Injustice Pools: 1102
Summer Jam 7 Day 2 - Sunday August 18th - MK9 and classics?: 912
KN/Monster Island Infinite Crisis - Saturday August 31st- Injustice Tournament: 778
TFC Day 1 - Saturday September 14th - Injustice Pools: 1269
TFC Day 2 - Sunday September 15th - Classic MKs? MK9?: 751
KN/Monster Island Kingdom Come - Saturday September 28 – Injustice Tournament: 326
NEC 14 - Saturday December 8th - Injustice Pools: 1074

2014

Winter Brawl 8 Day 1 - Saturday February 22nd - Injustice: 1139
Winter Brawl 8 Day 2 - Sunday February 23rd - Classic MKs: 493
Final Round 17 Day 1 - Friday March 14th - Injustice Teams: 670
Final Round 17 Day 2 - Saturday March 15th - Injustice: 1615
Final Round 17 Day 3 - Sunday March 16th - Classic MKs: 469
King of the Monsters - Saturday August 16 - Injustice + MK9: 156
Summer Jam 8 Day 1 - Saturday August 30th - Injustice: 431
Summer Jam 8 Day 2 - Sunday August 31st - Classic MKs?: 388
GUTS 3 - Saturday September 20th - Injustice and various games: 253
TFC 2014 Day 1 - Saturday October 11th - Injustice Pools: 471
TFC 2014 Day 2 - Sunday October 12th - Injustice Top 8: 654 (~11AM start)
NEC 15 Day 1 - Saturday December 6th - Injustice: 556
NEC 15 Day 2 - Sunday December 7th - MK9 + Injustice top 8s? 669 (early start)

2015

Winter Brawl 9 Day 1 - Saturday February 21st - Injustice Pools: 453
Winter Brawl 9 Day 2 - Sunday February 22nd - Injustice Top 8 : 910
Final Round 18 Day 1 - Friday March 20th - Not much NRS: 1099
Final Round 18 Day 2 - Saturday March 21st - Injustice + Various Games: 1447
KN HellRaiser - Saturday March 28th - Various NRS: 436
The Break Weekly #304 - Tuesday April 28th - MKX: 628 (the best of 4 weeks of subbing for 8WR)
ECT 7 Day 1 - Saturday June 13th - MKX Pools + Various games: 2673
ECT 7 Day 2 - Sunday June 14th - MKX Top 16 + other game finals: 5584
Summer Jam 9 Day 1 - Saturday August 29th - MKX Pools: 4518
Summer Jam 9 Day 2 - Sunday August 30th - MKX Top 16: 5249
TFC 2015 Day 1 - Saturday September 11th - MKX Teams: 1122
TFC 2015 Day 2 - Sunday September 12th - MKX Pools: 3500
TFC 2015 Day 3 - Sunday September 13th - Classic MKs: 468
A Video Game Con - Saturday September 19th - MKX + Various: 417
NEC 16 - Saturday December 12th - MKX Pools Through top 16: 3191

2016

Winter Brawl X - Saturday February 27th - MKX Pools: 2120
Final Round 19 Day 1 - Friday March 18th - MKX Teams: 1397
Final Round 19 Day 2 - Saturday March 19th - MKX Pools: 7319
Final Round 19 Day 3 - Sunday March 20th - Various Games Finals: 4126
Summer Jam X Day 1 - Saturday August 20th - MKX Pools: 1654
Summer Jam X Day 2 - Sunday August 21st - Injustice + Classic MKs: 499
ECT 8 Day 1 - Saturday September 3rd - MKX Pools: 937
ECT 8 Day 2 - Sunday September 4th - Various games finals: 1598
TFC 2016 Day 1 - Saturday October 7th - MKX Teams: 380
TFC 2016 Day 2 - Sunday October 8th - MKX Pools: 872
TFC 2016 Day 3 - Sunday October 9th - MKX Top 8: 1365
GUTS 4 - Saturday November 12th - MKX and various games: 377
NEC 17 - Saturday December 17th - MKX Pools Through top 16: 2456

2017

Winter Brawl XI - Saturday February 18th - MKX Pools: 822
Final Round XX Day 1 - Friday March 10th - MKX Teams: 729
Final Round XX Day 2 - Saturday March 11th - MKX Pools: 1702
CT GamerCon Day 1 - Saturday April 1st - Various games: 907 (no NRS IIRC)
CT GamerCon Day 2 - Sunday April 2nd - Various games: 1104 (no NRS IIRC)
Summer Jam XI - Friday August 11th - Injustice 2 Teams: 905
 

CrimsonShadow

Administrator and Community Engineer
Administrator
If anyone wants to analyze some numbers, I have a lot of data that could shed some light on why the numbers go up and down, which tournaments get more attention or promotion and which days/what was being streamed. As a secondary streamer but a consistent NRS streamer, these are events that for the most part included NRS titles but I left out most VSM weeklies, which averaged 200-400 viewers per week over about 18 months, also Red Bank Rumble bi weeklies which rarely broke 100 or the few times I subbed for Jaxel at the Break. I feel like there's a noticeable build but the jumps and dives are constant due to waning interest every cycle.

All totals are max concurrents for the day.

2011

Seasons Beatings Velocity - Saturday October 15th - MK9 Pools: 450
KN Invitational from YesterCades - Saturday November 12 - 8 Player Invite Only MK9 Tournament: 236

2012

KN Revolution X from YesterCades - Sunday January 22nd 2012 - MK9 Tournament: 591
KN On The Edge - Saturday February 11th - MK9 Tournament: 230
Winter Brawl 6 - Saturday February 18th - MK9 Pools: 697
KN 9.95 Memorial Fundraiser - Saturday February 26th - Various MK titles: 360
KN On The Edge II Day 1 - Saturday May 12th - MK9: 195
KN On The Edge II Day 2 - Sunday May 13th - MK9 Finals: 524
Summer Jam 6 - Saturday August 26th - MK9 Pools 240 (Bifuteki Split Streamed for us due to 995 being stuck in the hurricane)
NEC 13 - Saturday December 1st - MK9 Pools: 562

2013

KN Operation Wolf from YesterCades - Saturday January 26th: MK9 Tournament: 371
Winter Brawl 7 - Saturday February 23rd - MK9: 544
KN Injustice Release Party - Tuesday April 16th - Injustice Party: 393
KN VSM - Thursday April 25th - First Injustice Tournament: 950
KN Project Injustice from YesterCades - Friday April 27 - Injustice: 704
KN On The Edge 3 - Saturday May 11th - Injustce and various NRS: 1197
ECT V Day 1 - Saturday May 18th - Injustice Pools and various NRS: 2257
ECT V Day 2 - Sunday May 19th - Injustce Top 32 + UMK3 Russia Exhibition: 2406
GUTS II - Saturday June 15th - Injustice Pools: 198
KN 9.95 Memorial Fundraiser - Saturday June 22nd - Injustice and various NRS: 537
KN Rampage from YesterCades - Saturday July 27th - Injustice Tournament: 114
KN Marlboro Slaughterhouse - Saturday August 3rd - Injustice Tournament: 214
Summer Jam 7 Day 1 - Saturday August 17th - Injustice Pools: 1102
Summer Jam 7 Day 2 - Sunday August 18th - MK9 and classics?: 912
KN/Monster Island Infinite Crisis - Saturday August 31st- Injustice Tournament: 778
TFC Day 1 - Saturday September 14th - Injustice Pools: 1269
TFC Day 2 - Sunday September 15th - Classic MKs? MK9?: 751
KN/Monster Island Kingdom Come - Saturday September 28 – Injustice Tournament: 326
NEC 14 - Saturday December 8th - Injustice Pools: 1074

2014

Winter Brawl 8 Day 1 - Saturday February 22nd - Injustice: 1139
Winter Brawl 8 Day 2 - Sunday February 23rd - Classic MKs: 493
Final Round 17 Day 1 - Friday March 14th - Injustice Teams: 670
Final Round 17 Day 2 - Saturday March 15th - Injustice: 1615
Final Round 17 Day 3 - Sunday March 16th - Classic MKs: 469
King of the Monsters - Saturday August 16 - Injustice + MK9: 156
Summer Jam 8 Day 1 - Saturday August 30th - Injustice: 431
Summer Jam 8 Day 2 - Sunday August 31st - Classic MKs?: 388
GUTS 3 - Saturday September 20th - Injustice and various games: 253
TFC 2014 Day 1 - Saturday October 11th - Injustice Pools: 471
TFC 2014 Day 2 - Sunday October 12th - Injustice Top 8: 654 (~11AM start)
NEC 15 Day 1 - Saturday December 6th - Injustice: 556
NEC 15 Day 2 - Sunday December 7th - MK9 + Injustice top 8s? 669 (early start)

2015

Winter Brawl 9 Day 1 - Saturday February 21st - Injustice Pools: 453
Winter Brawl 9 Day 2 - Sunday February 22nd - Injustice Top 8 : 910
Final Round 18 Day 1 - Friday March 20th - Not much NRS: 1099
Final Round 18 Day 2 - Saturday March 21st - Injustice + Various Games: 1447
KN HellRaiser - Saturday March 28th - Various NRS: 436
The Break Weekly #304 - Tuesday April 28th - MKX: 628 (the best of 4 weeks of subbing for 8WR)
ECT 7 Day 1 - Saturday June 13th - MKX Pools + Various games: 2673
ECT 7 Day 2 - Sunday June 14th - MKX Top 16 + other game finals: 5584
Summer Jam 9 Day 1 - Saturday August 29th - MKX Pools: 4518
Summer Jam 9 Day 2 - Sunday August 30th - MKX Top 16: 5249
TFC 2015 Day 1 - Saturday September 11th - MKX Teams: 1122
TFC 2015 Day 2 - Sunday September 12th - MKX Pools: 3500
TFC 2015 Day 3 - Sunday September 13th - Classic MKs: 468
A Video Game Con - Saturday September 19th - MKX + Various: 417
NEC 16 - Saturday December 12th - MKX Pools Through top 16: 3191

2016

Winter Brawl X - Saturday February 27th - MKX Pools: 2120
Final Round 19 Day 1 - Friday March 18th - MKX Teams: 1397
Final Round 19 Day 2 - Saturday March 19th - MKX Pools: 7319
Final Round 19 Day 3 - Sunday March 20th - Various Games Finals: 4126
Summer Jam X Day 1 - Saturday August 20th - MKX Pools: 1654
Summer Jam X Day 2 - Sunday August 21st - Injustice + Classic MKs: 499
ECT 8 Day 1 - Saturday September 3rd - MKX Pools: 937
ECT 8 Day 2 - Sunday September 4th - Various games finals: 1598
TFC 2016 Day 1 - Saturday October 7th - MKX Teams: 380
TFC 2016 Day 2 - Sunday October 8th - MKX Pools: 872
TFC 2016 Day 3 - Sunday October 9th - MKX Top 8: 1365
GUTS 4 - Saturday November 12th - MKX and various games: 377
NEC 17 - Saturday December 17th - MKX Pools Through top 16: 2456

2017

Winter Brawl XI - Saturday February 18th - MKX Pools: 822
Final Round XX Day 1 - Friday March 10th - MKX Teams: 729
Final Round XX Day 2 - Saturday March 11th - MKX Pools: 1702
CT GamerCon Day 1 - Saturday April 1st - Various games: 907 (no NRS IIRC)
CT GamerCon Day 2 - Sunday April 2nd - Various games: 1104 (no NRS IIRC)
Summer Jam XI - Friday August 11th - Injustice 2 Teams: 905
Thanks Shock for putting these together. Interesting to look back and see the big jumps in numbers from 2013-2017.

No doubt if we had the numbers from IPS we'd see that that upward trend has continued on average.
 

Shock

Administrator
Premium Supporter
Over the years as I've analyzed stuff event to event, it seemed to me that there was a clear pattern of viewership and turnout for events, but I think the last year or so that is out the window. Also there are several little factors here and there that can hurt viewership that don't affect turnout and vice versa. The formula back in the day use to be about 10:1 ratio for the main stream vs KN but not the same for everyone else's games or viewership. For example we'd have 2000 viewers, TS would have 20K at the same time. The whole room would be about 25K. NRS games would also equal 10% of the event turnout, ie 100 players for NRS if there were 1000 at the event, 50/500 etc. I've pointed out also, that FGC numbers are/were about 10% of sports, smaller compared to FPS, and even smaller compared to RTS. The sponsored payouts also reflect that ratio but it's starting to change,