Podcaster live events have for the most part been sidelined during the past year, but as the country reopens LiveXLive is making a bet that some fans of shows will rather stay on their couches. The parent of PodcastOne is launching a series of pay-per-view shows including podcasters.
The series is tied to Facebook's new Paid Online Events feature, and LiveXLive says people will be able to purchase access to the online event on both its own platform and Facebook. "LiveXLive will be working closely with Facebook in marketing this new paid online event experience; utilizing new and existing marketing tools to support LiveXLive subscriptions to our vast array of products and services," said Dermot McCormack, President of LiveXLive. “This will benefit talent and fans in a profound way on both platforms,” he added.
In addition to podcasters, the paid events will include comedy and sports content.
The first show promoted will be "Social Gloves: Battle of the Platforms," a boxing and entertainment live event featuring the biggest names in social media on Saturday, June 5. The event will pit the world's largest social media stars from YouTube against the new icons from the explosive TikTok platform. The company says it will be headlined by Austin McBroom, founder of The ACE Family, who will square off against TikTok star and teen idol Bryce Hall for the main event. Other matches will feature social media stars with heavy Gen Z appeal, including Danny Duncan, DDG, Deji, FaZe Jarvis, Michael Le, Nate Wyatt, Tanner Fox, Tayler Holder and Vinnie Hacker.
"The growing momentum behind the use of Paid Online Events in the sports world is very real and this is another strong example," said Rob Shaw, Facebook Director of Sports League and Media Partnerships.
LiveXLive is planning shows across a range of genres that will be announced in the weeks and months ahead. The company has already explored how it could work with a live variety show hosted by podcaster Adam Carolla last year. The company said one million people watched the event which gave a bump to Carolla’s podcast downloads.
“Live and digital are coming together,” said LiveXLive CEO Rob Ellin in a Q&A with Podcast News Daily last week. “We are going to see a next generation of podcasters that are going to go from being like a radio host to being a radio and TV host,” he predicted.
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