In the world of entertainment, few platforms are experiencing the wave of explosive growth enjoyed by esports. According to a new report released by research firm Newzoo, esports revenues will break the $1-billion revenue barrier for the first time in 2019, and its future prospects are looking brighter than ever.
Popular game properties like Madden NFL, Overwatch, Fortnite and League of Legends boast worldwide competitive leagues and their live competitions take place in front of sold-out crowds at dedicated arenas. Merchandising and licensing rights command massive revenues, attracting top brand sponsors like Coca-Cola and Gillette.
While esports is just now beginning to make inroads into traditional broadcast markets, the primary venue for fans to watch their favorite players and matches is still via online stream. Given the vast resources invested into esports platform development, churches trying to harness the power of live streaming may be wise to consider which best practices from esports could be adopted into their own unique contexts.
So, what does esports have that your church team can draw from?
1-A dedicated team focused exclusively on the live stream
Almost all league esports events today are live arena events, but the broadcast aspect of the experience is resourced with equal, if not greater, intentionality. Esport broadcast teams run on a parallel but completely separate track from the live production team and are guided by an entirely different set of success metrics.
Esport broadcast teams run on a parallel but completely separate track from the live production team and are guided by an entirely different set of success metrics.
Camera angles are designed with an emphasis on conveying the entire scope of the experience, rather than counterbalancing the perception of someone seated in the area. Independent audio mixes are carefully designed to broadcast specifications, ensuring clarity, consistency and impact. Contrast and color saturation levels are carefully calibrated to match the energy of professional sporting events.
One of the most important things churches can do to dramatically improve the effectiveness of their live streaming ministry is to create some deliberate separation between the tech ministry and the broadcast ministry. This will help the team responsible for creating a great live stream focus exclusively on what’s working and what needs improvement, without the concerns and pressures from the live side. The process of developing this separation can take months, or even years, but the long-term benefits certainly outweigh the short-term discomfort.
2-Onscreen hosts focused exclusively on the first-time visitor
The rapid expansion of the esports platform means broadcasters have to continually be engaged in the process of viewer education. It’s crucial that they keep in mind that many of their viewers lack a basic understanding of how esports competitions work, or even how the games themselves are played. This means that the long-term success of esports broadcasting lies in converting first-time viewers to fans, sometimes in a single viewing.
This pioneering mindset is one church streaming teams need to adopt wholeheartedly in order to succeed in today’s arena of ideas. When crafting your stream it will be crucial to assume your audience has never been to church, never read the Bible, doesn’t believe in God or Jesus, and generally has a significant level of skepticism about Christianity altogether.
When crafting your stream [to compete in the arena of today’s ideas] it will be crucial to assume your audience has never been to church, never read the Bible, doesn’t believe in God or Jesus….
Some expectations upfront about what’s ahead, what’s unique about this particular experience and that you’re there to answer their questions will go a long way towards alleviating some of the viewer’s initial disorientation. Consider soliciting periodic feedback from people outside your church on what they experience when viewing your stream for the first time.
Finally, carefully consider the best way to create opportunities for real-time interactions with your viewers. If you’re utilizing social media, be sure to focus your efforts for community and momentum on one channel, rather than spreading your impact across too many channels. And finally, be specific and clear about the easy next steps viewers can take to get more deeply engaged when your stream wraps.
3-Custom content designed specifically for the stream viewer
One of the most striking elements of esports streaming is how much effort goes into media content that the arena spectators never see. The live streams feature unique opening and closing hosted segments, as well as custom announcements and transitions with information relevant almost exclusively to the remote viewer.
Many top-tier streams feature high quality pre-produced video content that helps more deeply connect viewers to a world the live spectators have already deeply bought into. They utilize custom graphic overlays and animations that provide continuing context crucial to viewers who are tuning in well after the broadcast has begun.
The best esports streams also make significant efforts to personally engage as wide a variety of viewers as possible. They accomplish this through the use of multiple, diverse hosts, interviews with players and stakeholders, and an emphasis on energy and fun.
[Top-tier streams] utilize custom graphic overlays and animations that provide continuing context crucial to viewers who are tuning in well after the broadcast has begun.
While it may take more intentionality and planning than many churches currently invest into their live streams, taking the time and energy to begin employing some of these elements into your church’s broadcast could have a dramatic impact on its effectiveness. You might be surprised at how introducing more dynamic aspects to your production prompts significant growth in the size of your broadcast team over time, as well.
Moving forward
Unless you’re extremely lucky, the budget for esports live streams is going to be very different than what’s available for your church’s stream. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t take advantage of some of the principles esports has developed to improve the effectiveness of how your church communicates with a larger world.
Consider setting aside time to discuss some of these principles with other stakeholders and leaders involved with your church’s broadcast ministry. Identify a couple of areas where changes could make the most impact, and develop a plan to try some of these ideas. Remember that many of the people needing to hear the Gospel will have their first experience with your church through your live stream, which is why it’s more important than ever that we marshal every resource available to make that experience as powerful as possible.
