Twitch is a live streaming platform, originally focused on gaming, that allows broadcasters to stream live video and chat. It has over 1.5 million broadcasters and more than 35 million monthly users. Twitch became the official streaming platform for esports in 2014. Major streamers can earn money through subscriptions, donations, and sponsorships. Twitch has helped grow esports by broadcasting major tournaments and now dominates esports streaming.

1. Josh Caruso, Joseph McManus, Kyle Holford, Michael Derose, Maclej Trojniar

2. Emerging World of Esports

3. www.twitch.tv

4. www.twitch.tv
What is Twitch?
• Previously known as Justin.tv
• Co-Founders: Justin Kan and Emmett Shear started in
2007
• By 2014, Twitch.tv had established itself as the #1
video game streaming website.
• 4th most visited site during peak hours
• More than 35 million unique visitors a month
• Twitch.Tv became the official live streaming platform
for the Esports Industry late in 2014

5. www.twitch.tv
How Twitch Works
• Becoming a broadcaster is as easy as making
an account.
• Once viewership reaches a certain point,
broadcasters can reap benefits.
• Like most video streaming websites, money
is made through advertising.
• Multiple charity options for broadcasters
to promote
• Streamers receive money through
subscribers and merchandising

6. Fundamentals of Twitch

7. www.twitch.tv
Internal/External Factors
Strengths Weaknesses
• Expansion due to purchase by Amazon.Com
($970 million)
• Community of over 1.5 million broadcasters
• Broadcasting rights of major gaming tournaments
• Strong website security with minimal system
hacks
• Slow broadcasting bandwidth when compared to
competitor Hitbox.Tv
• Due to size, difficult for new broadcasters to be
noticed
• Individual broadcaster’s videos are limited to 14
days or 30 days for Turbo users
Opportunities Threats
• Influencer Campaign (broadcaster sponsored
content)
• Possible sponsor expansion as Esports industry
rises
• Rise in popularity of Creative
• 4th in internet viewership during peak hours
creating more demand for advertisements
• Multiple substitues with high internet usage
(Youtube, Netflix, Google)
• Main competitors in Esports Streaming
(Hitbox.Tv, Pivotshare, GamingLiveTv)
• Esports streaming relatively ‘untapped’ high risk
of new entry

8. www.twitch.tv
Who is Using Twitch?
• Ages: 12 – 35
• Has a network of friends who also play/stream games
• Has a strong sense of community
• Active in social media, mainly in the form of blogs, webcasts and broadcasting
• Interest in Esports, Art, or joining a community with like interests
• Has minimal broadcasting and computer knowledge

9. www.twitch.tv
Community Content
• Top activities on Twitch
• Watch live streaming, chat with
community, watch highlights,
broadcasting
• Speedrunning
• Games playing themselves
• Salty Bet
• Spelunky Death Roulette
• Twitch Turbo
• Twitch Media Group

10. www.twitch.tv
Community Content
• Let’s Play
• TwitchPlaysPokemon
• 1.16 million participants
• Twitch Town Hall
• Twitch Weekly
• TwitchCon
• 1.9 million viewers

11. www.twitch.tv
Community Content
• Twitch Chat
• Emotes
• Twitch Creative
• Joy of Painting marathon
• 183,000 concurrent viewers
• 3.8 million emotes sent
• Twitch TV Food
• Julia Child’s marathon
• Twitch Developer Success

12. www.twitch.tv
Emotes

13. www.twitch.tv
Charitable Donations
• In 2015 Twitch raised around
$17,400,000 for 55 different charities
• Extra Life
• Raised $7,000,000 for Children’s Miracle
Network
• Games Done Quick
• Raised just under $3 million for Prevent
Cancer Foundation and Doctors without
Borders
• Gaming for Good
• Raised around $1.5 million for Save the
Children

14. www.twitch.tv
Top Company Broadcasters

15. www.twitch.tv
By the Numbers
2.1 Million Followers 1.4 Million Followers 659,210 Followers

16. www.twitch.tv
Company Influencers
• Companies like Syndicate and Riot Games pay people to play and endorse their products on
Twitch.
• This is mostly done by people who these companies call “Shoutcasters.”
• They pay Esports competitors money to endorse their products (LoL, Dota 2, CS:GO) while
playing in different global circuits such as the United States and Europe.
• Saahil “UNIVeRsE” Arora, a 25-year-old American videogamer is the world’s highest-paid
professional videogamer, a.k.a Esports champion. In August he won $1,964,038 at The
International Dota 2 tournament in Seattle. He’s not alone. At least ten more players made more
than a million each by playing Dota 2, according to e-Sports Earnings.

17. www.twitch.tv
Community Influencers
• There are two paths these streamers take. Twitch streamers
are either really good at their favorite game or they are
entertainers, where their broadcasts become like a radio
show, comedy sessions and very funny video-game
commentary.
• Twitch said they have offered around 12,000 broadcasters a
“subscribe button,” which lets fans support them with
monthly $5 subscriptions.
• Twitch fans pay partly to support the streamer, but also to
get benefits which include virtual badges, custom emoticons
and chat room privileges

18. www.twitch.tv
Merchandise
• Every Twitch partner who has “made it,” enough to have paying
subscribers can sell branded T-shirts.
• Twitch encourages broadcasters to make merchandise by building
Teespring, ( a website that Twitch has partnered with where they can
design and sell items) into the dashboard of their personal Twitch
page.
• Let’s use Twitch broadcaster Lirik for example. He has 1.1 million
followers. His latest $23 “cat in a helmet” Tee had 6,681 sales.
That’s $153,663 in gross sales. This was his third Teespring
campaign.
• Teespring said broadcasters make $12-$18 a tee from sales. They’ve
launched 1400 Twitch campaigns since 2012.

19. www.twitch.tv
Rise of Esports
• Esports – Electronic Sports where the
games are played through electric
systems such as PCs or consoles
• Esports originated in South Korea until
popular games brought it to western
audiences
• Now Esports draws in real money and
real spectators with viewership rivaling
traditional sports

20. www.twitch.tv
Major Players
• League of Legends
(MOBA) – Began in
2009 now draws the
biggest crowds
• Hearthstone (Card
game) – Started in 2014
• DOTA2 (MOBA) –
Started in 2013
• Counterstrike (FPS) –
Began 2012

21. www.twitch.tv
Esports and Twitch
• Twitch helped bring Esports grow
(and still continues to) by providing a
platform to stream tournaments
• Now Twitch is the premiere Esports
streaming platform

22. www.twitch.tv
Esports Twitch Stats
• League of Legends World Final
Viewership 2015 – 360 Millions
hours viewed with 4.2 million in
unique viewers
– Final game had 14 million
viewers at one time with 36
million in total
• DOTA2 International
6.6M prize for first
place drawing in over
4.2 million viewers at
one time
• MLG 2015 Spring
Championship received
about 4.7 Million Unique
viewers

23. www.twitch.tv
Social Media Partnership
Xavier Woods (aka Austin Creed):
- 292k Twitter Followers
- 455,852 Youtube Subscribers
- Salary $100,000 or less
- $75,000 sponsorship

24. www.twitch.tv
Social Media Partnership
Justin Wong:
- 81.9k Twitter followers
- Made $67,468 in 133 Tournaments
- $100,000 Sponsorship
- Professional Street Fighter Gamer
- EVO2014 UMVC3
- MLG KI Champion
- MK9 National Champion
- Plays for Evil Geniuses
- 225k Twtter Followers

25. www.twitch.tv
Social Media Partnership
Guy Fieri:
- Internet Meme
- 1.74M Twitter Followers
- $100K/appearance
- Net worth: $8.5M
- $400,000 for a month of
content (4 appearances)

26. www.twitch.tv
Social Media Partnership
SSSniperwolf:
- 2.58M Youtube Subscribers
- 429K Twitter Followers
- Estimated Net worth: $1.2M
- $250,000 sponsorship

27. Thank You!
Questions?