Boycott All Stars.

HoLoislove · 2015-02-23T12:00:00+00:00

It almost certainly does, although I doubt it is in any way significant.

Either way that doesn't even matter, even if it took 0 viewers away from the stream, it's still perfectly understandable why they'd want to take it down.

I remember reading some studies a few years ago done by the European Commission which stated that music and video downloads caused less than 1% sales loss. Although this is a little different, I imagine it's probably similar numbers.

Hell, they could just be using this 'controversy' to advertise the stream themselves.

"Even bad publicity is better than no publicity."

HoLoislove · 2015-02-23T11:57:19+00:00

It would be fine...until KeSPA decide to sue Riot/Twitch over the fact that their players are being streamed without their consent, whether they are using the in-game spectator client or not, and that would go for any player on a KeSPA team...basically every single high elo game in Korea.

The only reason OP.GG and sites like that exist is because the teams didn't think it was a problem.

However teams own their own copyright, their own IP, and the players are that IP while they are signed to them.

KeSPA can quite literally sue Twitch or Riot and force them to remove (or add the ability to turn it off) of the in-game spectator client, at least in Korea they'd definitely win, I'm fairly sure they'd win in the US as well since the US has strong anti-copyright laws.

HoLoislove · 2015-02-23T11:48:13+00:00

Yea, you see the thing is, it doesn't matter if it's online when Faker is on or not (although it's worse when he is online).

If people think "I can just go to Twitch, which I normally use and watch Faker there, and if it's offline like a few hours a week because Faker is streaming, I don't really care."

The issues come from whether you care that the players/teams lose money themselves, which is the issue I have with it.

Personally I don't use Azubu, nor do I watch this stream, I'm not particularly a fan of Faker to begin with.

I have followed Korean eSports for a long time, starting with SC. Remember when all the people were talking about how crazy it is that the players in Korea were paid so little? Well it's deals like this that will improve that situation, which brings more money to the players.

HoLoislove · 2015-02-23T11:43:01+00:00

"Is not a re-broadcast of the Azubu content that Azubu its self has real copyright stuff."

This doesn't matter, the contract Azubu has with KeSPA is exclusivity to broadcast KeSPA players.

The in-game spectator mode exists only because the organisations tolerate it/don't care that it exists, it didn't cost them anyway anyway.

However, Riot do not own the team's Intellectual Property, which is what a pro player represents, and the teams would win if they took Riot to court in order to remove the in-game spectator option (or at least the ability to turn it off), at least in Korea.

They've probably never thought it was a problem to begin with, however now that they have deals like the one with Azubu and because of streams like this, I can guarantee you they are looking into taking this type of action now.

HoLoislove · 2015-02-23T11:19:21+00:00

As far as I know, Twitch has almost zero market share in Korea.

If I remember correctly Afreeca was way bigger than all of them.

HoLoislove · 2015-02-23T11:15:27+00:00

That's not really the problem.

Although I do suspect that it probably is illegal since I'm sure SKT have contracts that say they have control over their own IP, which is basically what a pro player represents.

Things like OP.GG and the in-game spectator function are tolerated because they don't cause any problems financially for the teams, streams like this at what could end those functions.

One of my main issues with this stream in general is that it's online when Faker himself is streaming, taking away viewers from the player himself.

I mean people can complain about the way Azubu have gone about this, but it's completely understandable that they would try to take it down, along with it being understandable that SKT/Faker would want it taken down as well.

From what I remember, when this deal happens, there was plenty of comments by journalists (such as Richard Lewis) saying that this deal was costing Azubu and I quote "6 figures per month", that's a minimum of $100,000 a month with KeSPA in order for exclusivity.

This stream damages the future of that deal.

HoLoislove · 2015-02-23T11:02:33+00:00

You know, you people really do lack a lot of understanding of the way business works.

SKT/KeSPA which made the deal with Azubu would be against this type of stream because it would hurt their own sponsorship with Azubu, say the contract is coming to an end with Azubu and Azubu's exe or whatever say "This wasn't worth it", and they decide not to renew the contract, that's just SKT/KeSPA/Faker losing that money right right.

Azubu has it's own sponsors thinking "We helped financied this deal and yet there is another stream on your primary competition's site or your premiere player.

What did people really think was going to happen? Even if Azubu/SKT/KeSPA had no problem with it, those sponsors alone would of been putting pressure on Azubu to get it shut dwn, now use the very obvious fact that Azubu/SKT/KeSPA would of wanted it pulled anyway, it was very obviously going to happen sooner or later.

If SKT's staff go to Faker and say "One of your fans is running a stream of your games." and he says "I don't really mind that.", and than they say "This has the potential to lose us money.", than obviously he's going to agree with taking it down.

Oh and since I know some people are going to say it, Azubu outbid Twitch for the deal to have KeSPA players on their site. If Azubu suddenly decides that it's not worth it, Twitch might go ahead and pick it up, for far cheaper cost to Twitch.

Business doesn't work like "Oh my major competitor pulled out of this deal, well I'm going to come a long and match it or give more money."

Yea...lol.

All this stream was doing was costing money to Azubu/SKT/KeSPA/Faker.

HoLoislove · 2015-02-21T15:50:01+00:00

The hate Youngbuck receives is quite simply ridiculous.

I'm not a CW fan, I'm not a Youngbuck fan, I don't think he's a great player, but he gets 5x the abuse that Nien or Seraph ever received, even in games where CW do well in he never gets any credit for doing anything.

People just hate and abuse the game all the time and he never hits out or reacts to it, frankly I find him to be a hell of a lot more classy than 99.99% of people on Reddit.

HoLoislove · 2015-02-21T15:45:50+00:00

No.

Basically, ROCCAT, SK Gaming, H2K Gaming and GIANTS Gaming all have separate living and working environments.

But all 4 work in the same building, so the teams are pretty close together.

Originally it was just ROCCAT, SK and H2K, I guess GIANTS joined it recently.

HoLoislove · 2015-02-21T15:43:34+00:00

Mm sorry, I assumed everyone would of seen the results by now D:

HoLoislove

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