YouTuber KSI has addressed the decision to make his fight against Logan Paul a pay-per-view event, after fans were unhappy with the move.
KSI posted the official link to the boxing match stream, which will go down on August 25, but the link required payment of $8 (£6) to access, sparking controversy.
It was unexpected as the first YouTube boxing match, which KSI also participated in vs Joe Weller, was free to watch on the website and attracted millions of live viewers.
In an attempt to justify the decision, KSI has taken to Twitter to explain to fans that the costs of running the event are much higher than last time, and that it “all adds up”.
He also claims that the pay-per-view fee is considerably lower than most other events, and will all contribute the ensuring the event is the best possible experience and there is no “cutting corners”.
Just wanted to address those asking why we’re charging to see the fight.
The cost of the event itself is on another level to last time. Plus the press conferences, weigh-in and making other content for the new channel, all adds up.
— KSI (@KSIOlajidebt) July 19, 2018
We want to make this as big an experience as possible for everyone watching, without cutting corners.
We’re keeping the pay per view price purposely low compared to other events and looking to give as good value as we can.
— KSI (@KSIOlajidebt) July 19, 2018
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Finally he confirmed that it is not just the main event that is pay-per-view, as his brother Deji’s fight vs Jake Paul, plus “other ppv fights” will be included in the $8 fee.
Additionally, there is ‘build-up’ content which he says will be free to watch, however it is unclear what exactly this content will entail.
I’m sure you guys are gonna love watching me slap up Logan, my bro slap up Jake and the other ppv fights. Everything else in the build up is free to view too. Hope this makes things clearer (people will probably still be angry but hey )
— KSI (@KSIOlajidebt) July 19, 2018
Tickets to attend the fight in Manchester in person are also on sale, and while there are some very affordable prices, the VIP tickets will set you back over £500 ($650), but includes behind the scenes access.
The other concern, which KSI has not addressed, is the likelihood of unofficial streams of the fight being hosted on other streaming platforms. Those unwilling to pay the PPV fee may choose to watch these instead, in turn hurting the overall viewership on main streams.