Another set of platforms that offer live event streaming services are video and streaming sites such as Twitch and YouTube. Like social media platforms, these live streaming sites are well-known and easy for fans to join. They involve a somewhat larger learning curve for performers, but also allow for fancier setups, high-quality video and audio, and easy viewing and sharing outside of a specific app or webpage. In some cases, they also allow for private performances, making it possible to sell tickets and release a link to ticketholders only, helping artists and production companies to earn money directly from live performances.
Selling tickets to performances on these live streaming platforms is not without challenges, however. In the case of sites like YouTube, where users can follow a link to view a private broadcast, or Vimeo where users can be required to enter a password, success relies on no one leaking the information to allow viewers without tickets to watch the event, potentially hurting ticket sales and income. While one or two users sharing info may not have a big impact, widespread sharing on a public forum could result in significant losses.
Leading live video streaming sites:
- Twitch
- YouTube
- Vimeo (Livestream)
- IBM Cloud Video (Ustream)