(Paris) A peak of more than a million people in front of the screens, 20,000 spectators in a stadium in Paris: France-Spain, real soccer match between Internet users, these star players of video games, fulfilled their objectives on Saturday .
The score (victory of France 2-0) and the level of the match are anecdotal. The important thing is elsewhere: these video game players who share and comment on their games live, now organize their own sports competitions between content creators. And capture an audience worthy of the great traditional competitions.
On the eve of the Soccer World Cup in Qatar, we believe it: Stade Jean-Bouin, a stone’s throw from the Parc des Princes, sold out (seats sold between 15 and 53 euros, or between 21 and 73 dollars CAN), referees (including a video referee device), 24 cameras, sponsors on the pitch and on the Twitch platform, as well as a media partner (Canal+).
Without forgetting faces known to soccer fans in France, the commentator Alexandre Ruiz (ex-beIN Sports) in management and on the lawn Laurent Paganelli (former professional player who became a host for Canal +). “Paga” thus carried out, as he usually does, in his unbridled style, his interviews with the players on the bench during the match.
There are even bad gestures: heavy contact between players, a red card for a Spaniard and Spanish players attacking a linesman, forcing the organizers not to play a last minute that has become too tense.
On the lawn, the stars of video games and other platforms who have entered the real world for once are there: AmineMaTue (1.4 million followers on the Twitch platform), organizer of the event, in the position of center, and Carlito, youtuber-star, in central defense. In the ranks of Spain, DjMaRiiO, renowned youtubeur, is also at the rendezvous of this Eleven All Stars.
As a bonus, a mini-rap concert, with big French names, Niska and Gazo, among others, serves as a curtain raiser. A strong signal sent to professional soccer leagues that are struggling to attract these popular artists from a young audience.
This event is part of the trend of large-scale physical competitions between content creators, generating record audiences, well beyond the world of video games alone, like the GP Explorer, organized in October.
This fifteen-lap car race between 22 “influencer” drivers on Formula 4 cars, launched by Squeezie (17 million subscribers on YouTube), brought together nearly 40,000 spectators in the stands of the Le Mans circuit. There too, more than a million views had been counted.