Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos has shattered the Twitch viewership record with 3.85 million concurrent viewers during the fourth edition of his La Velada streaming event. Held at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, the event featured six boxing matches between content creators and musical performances by Will Smith, Bizarrap, and Young Miko.
“Madre mía, this Velada was absolutely insane!” Ibai exclaimed. “The level of boxing, the music, the energy… it was beyond anything we could have imagined. We made history together!”
Ibai’s achievement is a bright spot for Twitch, which has faced numerous challenges recently. The platform has been embroiled in controversy following revelations about former Twitch streamer Guy Beahm, known as Dr Disrespect, who was banned in 2020 for sending sexually explicit messages to a minor. Twitch has not commented on these revelations despite multiple requests.
Additionally, Twitch recently banned Call of Duty streamer Nick Kolcheff, also known as Nickmercs, for using derogatory language during a live stream. These incidents have compounded Twitch’s troubles, including significant layoffs and restructuring. In January, Twitch announced plans to cut about 35% of its staff, following 400 layoffs last year. CEO Dan Clancy explained that the company is still adjusting its size to match its current business needs.
Despite paying out over $1 billion to streamers in 2023, Twitch remains unprofitable. Clancy acknowledged Amazon’s support but emphasized the need for Twitch to become financially sustainable. “Amazon has been extremely supportive of Twitch. The big thing for being sustainable over time is ensuring we don’t lose money,” Clancy said. “That’s a big part of my job because that’s going to be what makes sure we can be here for the long term.”
Twitch is also feeling pressure from competitors like Kick, which has signed popular streamers to lucrative deals. Last year, Twitch streamer xQC, also known as Félix Lengyel, signed a multi-year deal with Kick reportedly worth around $100 million. Clancy stated that Twitch would no longer offer big-money deals to retain streamers, citing the unsustainable economics of such agreements.
Ibai’s record-breaking event provides a much-needed boost for Twitch, showcasing the platform’s potential for massive viewer engagement despite its ongoing challenges. This remarkable achievement further cements Ibai Llanos’s status as a top streamer as he continues to set new benchmarks for peak viewers on Twitch.
