Lately, I’ve been watching a couple of pro online gamer’s streams on Facebook. The SM juggernaut appears to have its eyes on the e-sports streaming ecosystem that Twitch and YouTube occupy. I didn’t understand the appeal of watching other people play video games until I started dabbling in my own gaming a few months ago. With that added experience, my appreciation for streaming entertainment has grown.

It’s easy to enjoy the skillsets of the players now that I have played. An interesting aspect of these platforms is the ability to interact in realtime and make small donations with the players as you watch. Facebook has introduced a concept of stars that allows you to load up on the gaming currency in order to tip when viewing on mobile and desktop. Dipping into this community sparked a few thoughts.

I wonder if this type of community infrastructure will spill over into the network of CrossFit Games athletes and fitness stars.

Is there enough shared experience and entertainment in the sport of fitness for people to adopt a monetized aspect into social network working? I think (hope) so. This avenue would take some time to develop, but would be a useful tool for discovering new athletes and influencers around the world. The financial aspect could also provide opportunities for athletes to devote more time to their craft. A concern would be the lure of financial opportunity leading to lack of balance or corruption, but I guess that’s risk present in all endeavors.

I see symptoms of potential for this to work. The most clear to me is the Dan Bailey commentary laid of over the workout of the day.

This video has more than 3 million views and wildly popular in the fitness community. There are couple of things that make it enticing.

1. Dan Bailey is a well known figure in the CrossFit community .
2. The video is well shot and visually pleasing.
3. The commentary adds thought-provoking incite to an accessible workout.

The relatable and inviting nature of this video paired with the equity of the platform no-doubt contributed to its success. I am curious what would have happened if the tapped video would have aired and Dan Bailey was live in the comments? Alternatively, what if the video aired in real time with a coach present for online interaction. With the right people and format, I could easily see a template for exercisers to follow in the footsteps of the gaming community.

What do you think?

Yes, this is a weird idea, but most of the pieces are already accessible. It would take a dedicated effort with a consistent flow of engaging content. I could see an ambitious athlete or charismatic coach use streaming platforms to develop an international audience. I guess we’ll see what happens.