There’s no denying it, Kick has shooketh the streaming industry. Thanks to being funded by the crypto gambling scene, this joint has money to burn. According to Kick, its streamers get 90% of the revenue that they generate on the site. Meanwhile, Twitch only offers its streamers 70% of the pie.
This means that while Kick is an ethically questionable platform, they have lured away some of Twitch’s biggest streamers. Here’s a list of these folks.
Adin Ross
Warning: This section deals with the topic of targeted violence against Jewish individuals and may be triggering for some readers.
On 25 February, Adin Ross was permanently banned from Twitch. This is because the streamer repeatedly said “hateful slurs” and allowed “unmoderated hateful conduct in chat.” Ross had a reputation for saying anti-Semitic remarks and allowing his audience to repeat his talking points.
After this ban took place, Ross permanently moved to Kick. He has since continued to partake in conduct that would be unacceptable on Twitch.
If this section brings up any issues for you or anyone you know, or you have experienced targeted violence, please contact Lifeline (13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), both of which provide trained counsellors you can talk with 24/7. If you are in immediate danger, call 000.
Félix Lengyel
In June, Félix Lengyel signed a USD $100 million deal to live stream on Kick. This means that Lengyel is being paid more than the likes of Lebron James, who only has a USD $97 million deal to play basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers.
For a number of years, Lengyel has been one of Twitch’s most successful live streamers. In May alone, he averaged 51,959 concurrent viewers per stream.
What’s more, Lengyel might continue to slay on Twitch. This is because his Kick contract isn’t exclusive. Lengyel can stream on any platform he wishes.
It’s been alleged that Lengyel moved to Kick because it’s the only big streaming site that endorses gambling. Unlike Twitch or YouTube Live, you can stream yourself on Kick playing the pokies. In a tragic turn of events, Lengyel himself has been a habitual gambler.
As of 27 June, Lengyel hasn’t streamed himself gambling on Kick. May this continue to be the case moving forward.
Kaitlyn Siragusa
On 18 June, Kaitlyn Siragusa announced that she too was moving over to Kick. Siragusa is an incredibly popular Twitch streamer, sex worker, and internet personality.
When discussing the move, Siragusa claimed that Twitch’s 70/30 split isn’t sustainable for creators. She believes that if Twitch wants to succeed then it will need to shake up its business model.
In a statement, Siragusa said, “Twitch decided to squeeze streamers even though they will never be able to achieve profitability that way.”
Related: Kick Is NSFW and Here’s Why That’s a Problem
Related: What Is Kick? Why Is It So Controversial in 2023?
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