Although Twitch is most widely known as a platform for the gaming community, there are a variety of other types of content available on the website. If you’re into sports, you can easily create a Twitch channel to broadcast live sports games and matches with commentary.
Why Twitch?
If you’re wondering why Twitch is a better choice when compared to other broadcasting services such as Facebook and YouTube, the first thing you should know is that Twitch is a 100% live platform. This means their platform is capable of handling the bandwidth required for live streaming, and it is where most people will search for a live show. This means you need not worry about how to get Twitch followers, because they come with the platform.
The Legal Implications Of Broadcasting Live Matches And Games
One thing you need to keep in mind is that broadcasting live games is likely to be protected by copyright law. That means that you livestream could easily get taken down, and any profits you make from your broadcast may never reach your account.
There are two ways around this. You can get permission from the football league, basketball association, or other relevant organization. In that case, your livestreams will be protected by copyright law and you won’t need to worry about any penalties.
Another way you can use to get around the copyright laws without the need to pay any major organization is to simply avoid streaming the actual game. You can broadcast reactions, very much like a radio commentator would do.
Keep in mind, however, that this will require a lot more effort on your part. Viewers would prefer to watch the game with your commentary, so you’d have to provide some seriously entertaining commentary for them to want to watch without the game.
Skills You’ll Need
While this all sounds great, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. There’s a lot of effort that goes into making a live broadcast, and you can’t just rush into things. Make sure you research the sport you are commenting on.
For example, if you are commenting on American football, you’ll need to know all the players names off the top of your head, as well as random stats and figures related to them and their sport. Nothing is worse than an awkward silence on a livestream. Basically, you’re going to be doing the same job of an actual sports commentator.
If you don’t feel skilled enough to keep talking while the game is going, take an improv class. It is an excellent way to improve your speaking skills, which is essential in a live broadcast. Also, you will need to work on your persona.
Anything to make the stream more interesting for the viewer. Don’t forget that there is no editing involved in a livestream, and since you’re commenting on a sporting activity live, there is little room for preparation. Ideally, you should already be really familiar with everything about the game so that there is little need for you to prepare before a livestream.
Your reactions should almost be genuine, and you should be able to recognize the finer details of the sport almost instantaneously. Imagine what it would be like if you watched commentary on a basketball game by someone whose knowledge is limited to knowing that the ball goes in the hoop—yes, that would be boring. Your aim should be the polar opposite of that.
Additional Advice
If you manage to attract enough traffic to your Twitch broadcast, the ad money is pretty good. However, there are other ways you can support your income through the channel. Firstly, focus on creating content that revolves around the game. That means pre-game speculative analysis and post-game analysis, and news or updates on days when there are no games being played.
This is content that does not violate any copyright laws, so you could easily start with this type of content. This is practically the oldest trick in the book, and is the sole reason that ESPN and other sports networks are broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Also, if you feel you have grown enough of a following, you can try your luck with selling some merchandise or affiliate marketing for sport-related products.
Note that this will only generate income if you’re viewed as an expert in the sport you are commenting on, so you may want to wait to see how your audiences regard you.
Summary
Broadcasting live sports with your own commentary can be a fun way to make money online. Twitch is the perfect platform for this, and with some effort on your part (and preparation of course), you can find success in this avenue. If you’re passionate about any sport and aren’t shy to talk in front of an audience, then go for it.
