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Often associated with gamingthe Twitch platform is not limited to aficionados of video games. If it has been invested by Youtubers, journalists and policies, the platform is also a big hit with small sports federations. This is particularly the case of the NHL, the National Handball League, which began a partnership with the platform in October 2021, or the French basketball federation, which is working on a project to broadcast 3×3 competitions.
Have they found their El Dorado? According to Pierre Rondeau, specialist in sports economics, Twitch perfectly condenses the new consumption habits of the young audience : “They are less and less fond of sports on television, prefer multi-screens which have become more democratic. They consult social networks indiscriminately on their computer, their telephone and their tablet, often simultaneously. And the main advantage of Twitch too is the interaction.
Twitch, a special role
Initially reserved for e-sports and gamers, Twitch is a platform with very specific codes, “which require a little time to acquire them”, admits Noémie Catalan, communications manager at the NHL, explaining how the French handball landed on Twitch. “In November 2020, after months of confinement during which we favored digital to keep the link with the fans as well as with the actors of the game, we launched an esports competition from the console game Handball 21. called the E-handball Cup. The players were those of professional clubs, young men already very sensitive to video games. The competition took place over four consecutive Mondays and the NHL had taken care to surround itself with an experienced team: the MCES team, the French esports club based in Marseille, with in particular pro teams on Fortnite games. , League of Legends and Clash of Clans.
Same entry on the FFBB side: “It was through esport that we got into Twitch”, notes Guillaume Karli, head of communication for 3×3 and esport at the basketball federation. Both reveal bluntly the current challenge: to install traditional sport on the platform. And if basketball is still working on its project, the little sticky ball is one step ahead. Since January, she has installed two weekly shows, mobilized a team of six people and observed a community of viewers constantly increasing. For the NHL, this partnership is “all beneficial”: “We don’t want to do television, we don’t have the means. But it’s another way of showing our sport and encouraging clubs to undertake via this communication channel, to perpetuate projects that interest and remain on a human scale, ”explains Noémie Catalan. “It’s a way to fight against the slowdown in audiences on media mainstream, and to capture the new generations”, abounds Pierre Rondeau.
Entertainment takes off
For handball as for basketball, the authorities are betting on a mix between sequences of matches, reports inside and “sofa studio” in the good taste of talking : “The goal is really to have experts who comment, some images of the competitions as well as the extras”, explains Guillaume Karli. “During the 7:30 am live of the Final 4 of the League Cup, we were in the room, on a small set with technical means, and we saw players pass by just after their match. We also broadcast parts of the matches thanks to an agreement with BeIn Sport, which we regularly quote on the Twitch stream. The coverage was complete and our broadcaster was delighted because it also recorded great audiences, “says the NHL communications manager.
“The 3×3 is a free and flexible discipline, easier to access and which is consumed quickly”, summarizes Guillaume Karli. What could be more effective to sum up the Twitch target? “3×3 and Twitch are definitely compatible since they target the same generation, which gets tired quickly and can see the regularity of appointments as a constraint”. Enough to amplify the rhinestone and glitter side of sport. On the model of NBA or NFL shows, esports competitions, live as on Twitch, leave a lot of room for spectacle.
A desire much more media than economic for the small federations
The opportunity also to stand out? “Today, the disaffection of young people for traditional sport is a structural and generational problem”, analyzes Pierre Rondeau. The excess of free and paid offers has created an audience that is difficult to capture, whose choice is so wide that it can afford to rule the roost. “By investing in Twitch, already acclaimed by this connected youth who are very fond of video games, handball, volleyball and basketball are working on their popularity and their visibility”, adds the sports economist. “For the moment, we are not thinking of monetization, also confides Noémie Catalan, communication manager at the NHL. Our goal is to reach a young, new audience, while offering quality content and proximity to the fans who already follow us”.
For Guillaume Karli, Twitch is a new form of sports media coverage, complementary to existing ones: “On Twitch, we touch our heart of community whereas with television, we target the greatest number. We do not offer the same programs or the same subjects. We are aiming for the complementarity “.
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