Wine & Crime is a true crime comedy podcast that has entertained a global audience since 2017. With millions of downloads across their episode catalog, the podcast has built a loyal international fanbase. To deepen their connection with listeners, the team launched a Patreon account to offer exclusive content and events. In their search for more meaningful engagement, they discovered Crowdcast; a platform that transformed how they connect with their community.
The Challenge:
Like many creators, Wine & Crime faced the challenge of engaging a widespread fanbase in an impactful way. The team wanted to host monthly online “happy hours” for their Patreon supporters, but they needed a platform that went beyond basic meeting tools like Zoom. They were looking for a solution that supported high-quality, performance-style events, with organized Q&A, live chat, and audience interaction without the complications of managing participants’ cameras and microphones.
Why They Chose Crowdcast:
After exploring various options, Wine & Crime found Crowdcast to be the perfect solution. The platform’s performance-oriented features, intuitive interface, and interactive tools met all their needs. It enabled them to host live events that felt dynamic and engaging, while delivering a seamless experience for both hosts and attendees.
How Crowdcast Solved Their Challenges:
With Crowdcast, Wine & Crime brought their vision of interactive live events to life. From virtual happy hours and fan-favorite bingo nights to full-scale livestreamed shows, the platform helped them connect with fans in unprecedented ways. They were able to stream both from home and from sold-out theaters, something they hadn’t imagined was possible.
The platform’s simplicity meant the hosts could focus on audience engagement rather than technical issues. There was no need to manage participant cameras or microphones, just a smooth experience with live chat, Q&A, and polls. Crowdcast’s replay feature also extended the reach of their content, allowing fans who missed live events to catch up on their own time.
Key Benefits and Features:
Crowdcast offered the flexibility and functionality Wine & Crime needed to grow their community:
- Stream from anywhere: Hosts could broadcast from different states or countries while delivering unified, professional live events.
- Offer both free and ticketed events: By mixing free and paid events, they unlocked new revenue streams and strengthened audience loyalty.
- Simplified ticketing and replays: Easy event setup, presales, discount codes, and automatic replays made managing events a breeze.
- Deep fan engagement: With tools like interactive chat, polls, and on-stage interviews, they created immersive, community-driven experiences.
Measurable Results:
Since implementing Crowdcast, Wine & Crime has experienced significant growth in both revenue and audience interaction. They've generated thousands of dollars from ticketed livestreams ranging from small-scale home setups to multi-camera productions at iconic venues like The Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul. Hosting these events in-house gave them full control over the experience while reducing outside costs.
Success Stories:
Their most successful stream to date was a live show from The Fitzgerald Theater. Listeners around the world tuned in to watch live, enjoying crystal-clear audio and video that made the virtual experience feel like being there in person. The event delivered impressive revenue and solidified the team’s confidence in Crowdcast’s ability to support live streams of any size.
"To have one platform that can support live streams both big and small has been a game changer and has strengthened our connections with our listeners through the platform’s easy interaction and Q&A tools."
Impact on Workflow and Productivity:
Crowdcast has become an essential part of Wine & Crime’s business model. With seamless Patreon integration, ticketed events, and virtual game nights, the team has deepened community engagement while opening up new income streams. Built-in chat and Q&A functions keep the conversation flowing during live events, and automatic archiving makes it easy to promote replays and snippets for future use.
Recommendation:
Wine & Crime highly recommends Crowdcast to artists, podcasters, entertainers, and creators of all kinds. The platform’s versatility supports everything from intimate behind-the-scenes content to large-scale live productions. Its user-friendly interface and powerful engagement tools have allowed the team to grow their community and business in ways they never anticipated.
"We may not have the capacity to fly to Australia and do a show, but we most certainly can provide a livestream audience so listeners across the world can be part of the fun, and that accessibility has been amazing!"
Looking Ahead:
Crowdcast has unlocked new possibilities for Wine & Crime, allowing them to reach fans in places they could never travel to. Streaming live shows to audiences in countries like Australia, without leaving the US, has been a transformative experience. With even more events planned, the team is excited for the road ahead, knowing that Crowdcast will help them bring their global community closer than ever.
Louise
Head of Customer Success. Helping customers grow their audience with live events using Crowdcast's simple live video software to help them reach, engage, and grow their audience.