What to Say - Subathon / Marathon Stream Kickoff Script

Set the stakes for a multi-hour endurance stream. A subathon opener that creates urgency and drives milestone subs from the first second. Free to use — customize and start reading with our teleprompter in seconds.

STEP 1

✏️ Click to Customize Script

STEP 2

Enter your details

STEP 3

▶ Click to Play in ScriptScroller

✏️

Fill in your details

The script updates automatically as you type, click Play in ScriptScroller when you're ready

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Script text

Welcome to the [Subathon Name] Subathon. The timer is at [Starting Time] and every sub adds [Time Added]. The rules are simple: I don't sleep until the timer hits zero. We've got milestones at [Sub Count] for [Reward 1], and if we hit [Big Goal], I'm [Doing Something Crazy — e.g. shaving my head, eating a ghost pepper, playing the hardest difficulty]. This is going to be a test of my sanity and your generosity. Let's see how long we can keep this train moving. The timer starts... NOW.

What you'll need to fill in

This script has 7 details to fill in before you read it. Have these to hand — the customizer above updates the script as you type:

Subathon Name
Starting Time
Time Added
Sub Count
Reward 1
Big Goal
Doing Something Crazy

89words

41 secread time

7to fill in

That timing assumes about 130 words a minute, which is a normal conversational pace. If you are presenting to a room you will likely go slower; if you are nervous you will go faster. Read it aloud once and time yourself before it matters.

When to use this script

Use this for the moments that recur every stream. Going live, welcoming new viewers, thanking subscribers, and closing out are all things you do constantly and improvise slightly differently each time. Having them written gives the channel a consistent identity and saves you from filling dead air.

It is not for the bulk of a stream. Live content lives on reaction and unpredictability, and a scripted stream is a contradiction. Script the bookends and the awkward transitions; leave everything between them alone.

Making it sound like you

Keep it short. Anything longer than a few sentences will be interrupted by chat, which is as it should be.
Write it in your channel's actual voice, including the in-jokes. Generic streaming language reads as inauthentic instantly.
Leave explicit gaps for reacting to chat rather than trying to script around it.
Write a few variations of the recurring lines so regulars are not hearing the same sentence nightly.

Reading it out loud

Keep the script somewhere you can glance at without turning away from the camera — a second monitor near the lens, or a small overlay. Physical controls help here more than anywhere else, because reaching for a mouse mid-stream is visible and there is no take two.

More on the setup side: Teleprompter with Stream Deck, Moving Text for OBS, Teleprompter for Dual-Monitor Setups.

Questions about this script

How long does this subathon / marathon stream kickoff script take to read?

The script runs to about 89 words, which is roughly 41 sec at a normal speaking pace of around 130 words a minute. Your own pace will vary, so time one read-through before you rely on the number.

What do I need to prepare before using this script?

There are 7 details to fill in: Subathon Name, Starting Time, Time Added, Sub Count, Reward 1, Big Goal, and a few more. Enter them in the customizer and the script updates as you type, then opens straight in the teleprompter.

Does scripting ruin the spontaneity of a live stream?

Not if you only script the bookends. Going live, welcoming newcomers, and signing off are the moments where improvisation produces dead air. The middle of the stream should stay entirely unscripted.

How do I read a script while streaming without it being obvious?

Keep it on a display close to your camera and keep the lines short. Mapping pause and speed to a physical control also helps, since reaching for a mouse mid-stream is the part viewers actually notice.