The digital playing field just shifted for many aspiring athletes and smaller sports personalities. Instagram has changed the rules for who can go live, a key tool for connecting with fans. Now, you need at least 1,000 followers to broadcast your training, your pre-game thoughts, or your post-match celebrations.
This new hurdle means many rising stars will find it harder to share their journeys. Before, any user could hop on and stream their world. But Meta, the company behind Instagram, decided to limit this feature. The news came out this Monday, reported by the Europa Press news agency. This change especially impacts smaller creators trying to reach more people. It’s like a new entry requirement for a major league, making the path tougher for those just starting out.
Trying to start a live video without the required followers? Instagram will send you a message. It clearly states: “we changed the requirements to use this feature. Only public accounts with one thousand followers or more can create live videos.” So, your account also needs to be public. This step is about improving the overall experience for viewers, according to the platform.
Instagram isn’t alone in this move. Rival platform TikTok made a similar change for live content not too long ago. It seems big tech companies are following similar playbooks.
However, not all platforms have raised the bar so high. YouTube, for example, offers a much easier path for live streaming. On YouTube, you only need 50 subscribers to go live. This gives smaller teams or individual athletes another option to consider when trying to connect directly with their supporters.
