Most people want to get to affiliate status to unlock cool features like emotes and channel points etc. Does it help make your stream more enjoyable for your viewers right? But did you know it comes with a major disadvantage that no one seems to talk about? See, most affiliates use Streamlabs due to prime, prime gives you the flexibility to easily swap pre-made overlays but even more excitingly… the ability to multistream. How many of you multi-stream to Facebook, Youtube and Twitch as an affiliate? Anyone with their hand up is actually in breach of their Twitch Affiliate Agreement (and yes, you signed up to that legally, otherwise you wouldn’t have been accepted). The reason you are in breach of your TAA is found in paragraph 2.2 where it explains as an affiliate, Twitch expects exclusivity of your live stream!. Here is the full paragraph:
2.2. Live Content Exclusivity. Solely for any live audio-visual work you choose to provide to us as User Content (your “Live Twitch Content”), starting from beginning of the Initial Broadcast of any such Live Twitch Content, and continuing for a period of twenty-four (24) hours following the end of the Initial Broadcast of such Live Twitch Content (the “Exclusivity Period”), such Live Twitch Content is exclusive to Twitch (even as to you). During the Exclusivity Period of any Live Twitch Content, you will not, nor permit or authorize any third party to, broadcast, stream, distribute, exhibit and otherwise make available such Live Twitch Content in any manner. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you have the right to make any Live Twitch Content available, during the Exclusivity Period, solely via the Twitch Services. After the Exclusivity Period of any Live Twitch Content, the license to such Live Twitch Content will become non-exclusive and you will have the right to broadcast, stream, distribute, exhibit and otherwise make available such Live Twitch Content in any manner and format desired by you. The “Initial Broadcast” means the initial broadcasting, streaming, distribution, or other exhibition of Live Twitch Content via the internet, whether such Live Twitch Content is broadcast on a real-time, live basis as the subject event is occurring or such Live Twitch Content has been prerecorded and is being initially broadcast for the first time via any manner or method of streaming.
For a more in-depth look at the Twitch affiliate contract click here.
