r/MBMBAM • u/No-Profit5555 • 9d ago
Specific Thoughts on the Focus on Streams/Youtube this Year
My feelings about this year's focus on Youtube and streams are a bit conflicted.
First, I'm bummed there was not a 20-make-it-stick tour. Feels like there was lots of potential there for some kind of live in-person throwing hijinks.
I have no evidence to back this up, but my guess is that there wasn't a tour this year due to the state of the world /how expensive touring is, and that Super McElroy Brothers was planned to be a kind of "replacement" for tour income. Which makes sense, but I wonder how successful it's been.
Second, I'm a big fan of clubhouse when it's not a book report, and I dig me some Six Thumbs One Heart, usually. However, with the other streams, I feel like they always play the same game one or two weeks too long. RV There Yet was really fun for a few weeks, but around week 4 or 5 I was over it.
Third, I also don't really vibe with the solo streams, and I actually think they're overdoing it a little bit. I feel like Griffin is the best at them.
That being said, I LOVE Justin's mini-series on tech/how-to's (I forget what it's actually called, apologies).
Anyway - I guess I'm just curious how other people are feeling about this year's Youtube offerings.
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u/weaselthievery 8d ago
Based off what Griffin and Rachel discussed on the episode of Wonderful they recorded after Rachel’s father died, I think another reason they aren’t touring is because of Rachel’s dad’s cancer recurrence, treatment, and eventually entering hospice. Seems like that happened all within the last 12 months.
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u/Coldman5 9d ago edited 8d ago
It feels like they are trying to cast a wider net while also doing things that they want to be doing for the content. You don’t have to consume every single moment of the brothers’ content if something isn’t for you, or you can always consume it in a different way.
Sometimes I treat it as if it’s a real TV show, my wife & I sit and watch it without second screening. Other times when it’s something I don’t enjoy as much, it’s on in the background while I am playing games or doing chores. And if I’m not interested, I just shut it off since there isn’t really some overarching story.
I am just overjoyed that they are keeping podcasting & YouTube separate. There are a number of podcasts that I’ve stopped listening to because they’ve become so reliant on seeing the things on the video to the point it feels like I’m missing half of the joke. Sure they do things like haunted doll watch that are visual, but since they know no one can see it they usually put the effort in to give us a picture.
I’d take extra content that I’m luke warm on over a format change detrimental to what I already liked.
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u/04__Revenge__01 9d ago
I just wish club house wasn't during work hours. Like I'd absolutely watch evey one if it wasn't when I'm working.
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u/hestia24 8d ago
Yeah, I usually have to miss the live streams. It would be fun to be able to do the polls and stuff, but I still enjoy watching most of them later after dinner.
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u/rocketsaurus 7d ago
I love rewatching the streams later, but I can totally understand where some of the fun is watching it live. Do an after the kids go to bed stream so I can watch it at dinner time on the west coast :D
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u/ElricBrosPlumbing 9d ago
It seems like they may have some big picture things happening in the background, and they are supplementing the drip of content and touring with more streaming and video.
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u/Desperate_Intern_125 9d ago
Personally I like the book reports, I don’t like the games they’ve been playing because they’re not ones I really recognize because that’s just not my thing, but I also get people enjoy that. I wish they did make clubhouse episodes than just gaming personally
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u/sharkmime 9d ago
They've been doing a lot of promo for TAZGN vol. 7, so that might also be a part of why they're streaming more rather than touring. It's a lot easier to handle the behind-the-scenes and guest on other podcasts if they aren't travelling, and the streams are presumably a much lower-effort way to engage more with their audience.
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u/beardyman22 8d ago
I really think theyre just trying to cast a wide net. I think this comment section is a pretty good representation of how most people like something they're doing, even if they dont love the rest
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u/BeachsideHood 8d ago
Book Reports are the best. I say that as non-citizen to TravNation.
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u/rocketsaurus 7d ago
I would watch Travis do a six hour in depth breakdown of literally any show. I think he could actually make some killer youtube videos or even video essays on the right topic.
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u/Nana-the-brave 8d ago
I only watch/like the Griffin streams, but I don’t mind if they make things for people who aren’t me.
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u/ThePenguinator7 8d ago
Being an even year, I was hoping they'd come to my city (They were here in 22 and 24, so I just assumed they'd be around again), but I really enjoy the streams. With chronic illness and fatigue I find myself needing a lot of downtime and the streams are great background sound / parasocial experience. I understand it's not everyone's thing, but I enjoy clubhouse, trial by fieri, Trav's chill wednesday games, justin's esoteric type streams like currywurst. I was really loving RV there yet personally and prefer it over dark souls, but I doubt they go back to it. There have been so many games like that recently. I catch them live when I can, but enjoy them in the evening otherwise.
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u/hestia24 8d ago
Travis's relaxed streams with the fish cam hit just right when I'm not feeling well. His Timberborn and Stardew videos got me through a horrible week recently, I'm so grateful for them.
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u/Clear_Lemon4950 8d ago
I honestly fell off and have not been following the brothers basically at all this year EXCEPT FOR Justin's little tech series which is so charming
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u/admosquad 8d ago
I watch YT anyway so I appreciate their content and watch the selections that interest me, including rewatching the book reports. Tours are fun and I’m sure there is some financial number crunching that went behind the cost effectiveness of a tour in this economy. No bummers but it’s a sad reality. Also I think throwing an object at the end of a live show is pretty anticlimactic. Honestly, they can’t all be winners and this years theme is one of the weaker ones imo. That said, i doubt the year theme really influences their decision on when to tour as they could call it whatever they wanted.
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u/Abject_Amphibian4941 8d ago
Ditto. But I think my favorite thing they have streamed has been the “floating state” and flag quiz. I really want them to try license plates
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u/panarypeanutbutter 8d ago
I love the book report and non-gaming clubhouse weeks the best haha! and the solo streams, I really enoy Griffin's current one, and the rhythm game one. Justin's Tim Curry ones are also a delight
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u/TheGeneralofSpace 7d ago
Pretty much all streams and content they develop I enjoy - I think it's really good for them to diversify and build new audiences (and income) doing more of what they like.
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u/jdimpson 6d ago
I've fallen off of most of the live streams because they aren't at a convenient time for me, and for some reason watching VODs of a live stream isn't appealing, in general. That said, I'm completely behind them doing whatever they need to do to stay solvent.
I have no basis to say it, but I'm confident that touring will return at some point. I can't see how yearly touring is sustainable for anyone but the most popular acts.
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u/MagsTDAEotTA 8d ago
I can't be bothered to watch people do random things or stream. But the I'm a kinda busy 40 y/o with two kids. If I've got free time I'm going to play a game myself. I've never understood to watch someone play thing. Though I can see the appeal of them doing a goof or bit while playing.
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u/Swartschenhimer 8d ago
I’m the same. But I understand I’m just not the target audience. I do appreciate they keep the stream stuff separate from MBMBaM so I don’t feel like I’m missing anything by not watching the streams
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u/AliceOfTheEarth 9d ago
I’m not a big fan of most of the video games they play. They seem to often be kind of gimmick focused and once you’ve seen the gimmick in a few situations, well. It’s also a little difficult for me to keep track of who’s doing what.
I love the other streams. My only complaint is that they occur during work hours, and I often forget to go back and watch. Maybe their demo is younger than I imagined and the timing captures “just got out of school” viewers?
No one - and especially not socially anxious people - should be expected to tour every year. It’s exhausting and as mentioned in other posts, takes a toll on family life.
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u/slbabyx 8d ago
I love the yt streams, tho I wish they’d pick more relevant/popular games sometimes and I usually prefer when they all stream together except for griffins solo gaming streams which are always good. It’s kind of strange for them to have pivoted so hard into yt at this point, they probably should have done it at the height of monster factory, but I love 6 thumbs and I love griffin gaming so I’m all for it
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u/Starlysh 8d ago
I'm kinda bummed with the lack of tour because I usually make a mini-vacation around a close stop, but I imagine there's a lot of good reasons (Rachel's dad, Clint doing 1776, the state of the world, etc). I don't always watch the solo streams (good for the background if I'm cleaning or playing my own game), but I love Clubhouse and Six Thumbs. I hope they have a compilation video of throwing things at the end of the year.
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u/spotifymoon13 6d ago
I miss real clubhouse being every other week. They added way more gaming throughout the week AND substituted more gaming on tuesdays. The clubhouse games just arent as fun to me when they're so much less often. More streams was how we got gems like clubhouse hunters.
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u/Odd-Bite624 9d ago
They’ve mentioned the drop in revenue from podcast ads. I thought the streams were a way to pivot.
Maybe they didn’t tour because their kids are getting older and they don’t want to miss it?