Dr Disrespect will be staying put on YouTube for the time being, with the streaming superstar recently turning down a very rich $10 million approach from Kick to join the upstart rival platform.
Just under an hour into his latest livestream on May 29, Dr Disrespect told his YouTube audience he had been approached by Kick to join the green-splashed site, with the offered sum totalling around $10 million a year as long as he stayed. Dot Esports understands the contract terms also included a clause that meant he wouldn’t have to host any gambling-themed broadcasts.
Neither of those carrots was enough for the two-time apparently, who quickly declared he wouldn’t be budging from his original $50 million terms. “Like I said,” he explained, “they had a gracious number… $10 million a year. But it’s just not enough. Fifty million and you’ll get the two-time. If not, I’m not interested in moving.”
His biggest reason came down to community—an argument many streamers often give when debating platform shifts. For Dr Disrespect, the momentum he’s built up on YouTube is simply too strong to give up for a cash injection, especially when he’s already making money off his Black Steel Bourbon business and has a triple AAA gaming release, DEADROP, on the way.
“The community is too strong here,” he repeated. “We’re established. The numbers are just outrageous. We’re looking good, we’re feeling good. I’m in cruise control driving multiple Lamborghinis. I’m in no rush.”
The YouTube streamer then added he was “appreciative” about the bid and “humbled” by Kick’s interest, but put his foot down over the opening figure.
The two-time’s very public discussions around any potential moves come less than a day after Kick’s strategic boss Andrew Santamaria admitted Dr Disrespect would “probably not” be switching anytime soon. “He tweeted at us after we signed xQc that he wanted $50 million,” the Kick head honcho said while streaming in May. “Yeah… he’s an amazing streamer, but we need to ground things in reality.”
Kick went on a major signing spree early in its life, picking up huge Twitch names like Amouranth and xQc, but has slowed things down recently.
