eBay Janos, founder who became a friend of Lionel Messi | you saw?

On August 11, 2021, there was a thunderclap in the football world. Lionel Messi arrives in Paris. His first public appearance was from a balcony in front of a portico where hundreds of his supporters sing in unison.

Pictures that revolve around the planet. The attention of the sports media is turning to the French capital. TF1 (France), ESPN Argentina, Sky Sports (England) or CNN (US): They are all there, and they are all hoping to get the chance to meet the Argentine star.

However, the first person with whom the hexagram has chosen to talk is not a journalist or even a representative of a major television channel. This is Ibai Lllanos, a 26-year-old Spaniard with more than 7 million followers on the Twitch platform, with the same number of subscribers on YouTube.

If the Argentine agrees to make his first Parisian interview with this young Spaniard, it is for his fans, but also for his satisfaction. Because before meeting him, eBay promised Janos Messi that he would not go Don’t tell him about his new coach’s tactical training, but you only have a bit of chatting.

a a little chatting 8.5 million people have watched it so far, and the clock is ticking. The proximity to a big star is the result of the many hours spent…playing video games.

Video games with the greatest athletes

Before interviewing the biggest stars in sports, eBay Janos rose to prominence on Twitch. Since 2014, at the age of 19, he has been commenting on video games and broadcasting his own games.

This skilled caller with a calm tone and unique sense of humor brings together a rapidly growing community of video game players, attracting the attention of some athletes who agree to play with him.

Many of them are spore followersNS electronic : Gareth Bale (Real Madrid Ellevens eSports), Sergio Aguero (FC Barcelona and KRÜ eSports) and Antoine Griezmann (FC Barcelona and Grizi eSport), to name a few, they are all great football stars who share a passion for football. video games, to the point that each of them founded their own company dedicated to esports.

This trend, eBay Janos saw it coming. Born in 1995, he is the same age as his target audience and the players he talks to. Over the years, its subscriber count has exploded, and so has its bad reputation. Today, he is the ninth person on Twitch in terms of the number of subscribers.

With a pandemic comes consecration, while the entire planet is confined to its own living room. Then he quietly gave up the video game to move on to podcasts, as when he learned a few words of Portuguese with Neymar (PSG) as a teacher.

All of his videos are a huge hit. In 2021 alone, Ibai Llanos garnered more than 200 million views on YouTube alone, listing his live videos. It is a popular phenomenon of the Iberian newspaper the scientist Recently described as The most famous man in Spain… through your son.

His popularity even allows him to earn nearly $3 million annually with the views of his videos, not to mention his partnerships and sponsorships.

business partner

His ability to win over a young audience and make sports stars reassured, with whom he speaks frankly and avoids difficult or embarrassing questions, falls into the eyes of investors. Among them, we find Gerard Pique, a player for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team, and an entrepreneur in his spare time, with his company Cosmos.

Cosmos is valued at hundreds of millions of dollars, produces documentaries on Netflix, represents tennis players like Dominic Thiem, and even owns FC Andorra, a Spanish third-tier soccer team.

Gerrard Pique

Photo: afp via getty Images / RAYMOND ROIG

Cosmos’ latest acquisition is eBay Janus. In the past three months, the company has bought the Spanish national broadcasting rights for the Copa America, and those for Ligue 1, in the wake of Lionel Messi’s departure to Paris. And each time, it was Ibai Llanos who co-animated, in his own style, these shows that can be accessed exclusively on his Twitch channel.

And the idea works: In Messi’s first match for Paris Saint-Germain, no less than two million Spaniards watched the Argentine’s first steps in Reims on Twitch. A record audience in Spain for the French League match.

But behind these impressive personalities hides an uncomfortable feeling of complacency. Who was the guest of eBay Janos on Sunday during Messi’s match with Paris Saint-Germain? Gerard Pique, his business partner in the adventure.

So we are far from being journalists, and it is enough to harass those who practice this profession.

critical occasions

Some have also spoken out to question his approach. Xavi Hernandez, from the Catalunya newspaper I seeYou think that every interview with Ibai Llanos with a player costs the journalist the same opportunity, but with certainty Explain the facts Based on Put the news in context. eBay is an artist and his priority is entertainmentAnd wrote on Twitter (A new window).

The same story is for Juanma Castano, the great sports columnist in Spain, who announce (A new window) misunderstanding Lionel Messi’s decision to give his first Parisian interview to a simple user.

eBay Janus, does not intend to worry about critics. if confess Don’t be a journalist and don’t want press competition, which is the field much respect, he can’t Just don’t turn down these kind of invitations.

Its goal is to produce content while staying true to it. Because it was this way of doing things that allowed him to reach the highest spheres of entertainment.

Especially since he’s far from the only one doing the same thing. Close to home too, this kind of proximity exists and works.

put the athlete Comfortable

In Quebec, the popularity of podcasts blue pockethosted by former Montreal Canadiens players Maxime Lapierre and Guillaume Latendris, shows sports fans’ interest in entertainment. No More Technical Questions and Welcome Anecdotes: This podcast, in a longer, less succinct format, is meant to entertain.

approach it Authenticity allowed Based on behave yourself, as Guillaume Latendresse thinks.

Guillaume Latendresse and Maxim Lapierre

Photo: Avanti Groupe / Karine Dufour

Podcasts are a more permissive way to deliver messages. It allows us to remain ourselves, not get caught up in techniques at the dialogue level, and it gives us complete freedom. There is no boss watching us. And that’s what people like, notice.

This is amazing complete freedom It attracts wide participants. throughout the episodes, blue pocket I managed to sit down dozens of stars for long minutes discussing everything and nothing, including Jonathan Huberdeau, Samuel Gerrard, Thomas Chabot, Anthony Mantha or Anthony Bouvier. Not to mention managers like Julian Presboa, general manager of Tampa Bay Lightning, Pat Bryson, agent of influential players, and Roberto Longo, assistant general manager of Team Canada.

Even Prime Minister Francois Legault participated this summer!

The fact that we are authentic makes the people we are dealing with more comfortable while playing the game., Latendresse thought. And when they have great personalities, it’s all in their favor, because people recognize them for who they are, without filtering. People appreciate originality, especially coming from their first show!

His partner Maxime Lapierre confesses to his side Adapting to the guests, With The goal is that they feel comfortable. When you do this, they can then talk to each other about topics Interesting for listeners.

When our guests see that we open up to them, I think that encourages them to open up in turn, Shows.

And we do it respectfully, and we’re not here to make anyone look bad.

From their point of view, view blue pocket Such other content is complementary to the work of journalists who Play the role of unbiased analysts in interpreting facts, as Maxim Lapierre believes. Contrary to his role as a facilitator, Journalists are paid to do more research, ask relevant questions, and dig deeper into their articles and reports, he describes.

However, athletes will still be able to get their message across directly through their social media. what is not Not necessarily badLapierre concludes.

Because of fans Now access to the message directly from the athlete. If they want more in-depth analysis from a third party, they can always turn to the media that will cover the athlete.

Provided that the respective player agrees to speak to them. Something is more and more difficult to achieve, as access to players has not been controlled to this degree before. Especially when athletes risk less replacing the rigor of a journalist with an entertaining podcast.