While the FIFA World Cup had many fans around the world excited, it looks like the younger generation has been losing interest in football. With Gerard Piqué now in retirement, he’s looking to change the way soccer is played and revolutionize the sport and esports. He’s joining forces with others like Ibai Llanos to change the rules of Kings League.
The premise is simple: make football faster, more attractive, out in the open, and more accessible via streams. The official Twitch account for the Kings League has already streamed the matches, and you can watch the previous games now already. The official site has all the scheduled dates for the first games leading up to the playoffs.
What’s interesting is the changes brought to the Kings League by Gerard Piqué, other former football players, and streamers. There are only twenty minutes a side, which means a match will last as long as 40 minutes. That means fast-paced games leave you on the edge of your seat. There are also unlimited changes, so you won’t see tired players conserving energy all the time.
The kickoff will look like a water polo game. In other words, the ball goes up in the air, and the first foot to touch that ball owns possession. There are also changes to the cards. If you get a yellow, you’re off for two minutes. As usual, a red means you’re off the field, but a substitute can come on five minutes later.
So, why the sudden change in rules? With the younger generation seemingly losing interest in football, the Kings League is looking to reconnect them with the sport again. With shorter games, it might hold their interest. Also, streaming on a popular gaming platform like Twitch might also convince them to watch more matches.
Evidence of the popularity can be seen in the numbers. The Saiyans – Porcinos match on Kings League saw an online audience of 600,000, which is bigger than the current supporters of La Liga in Spain. It will be interesting to see if these numbers grow and how it will affect soccer and esports.
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