The BBC is broadcasting eSports tournament play over the summer. The games include Street Fighter V, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, and Rocket League.
With very little preliminary fanfare, the BBC has entered a deal with the Gfinity Elite League Series One to broadcast tournament play. The eSports programming on BBC3 will be an ongoing addition to the broadcast lineup. Each night will feature tournament play in a different game.
"One hundred and sixty pro gamers duking it out every week in front of a baying West London crowd for fame and fortune (£225,000 of fortune to be exact). Each competitor wears the livery of one of eight established eSports organisations and specialises in one of three games, representing a rough cross-section of the current competitive gaming landscape: a shooter, a fighter and... well, Rocket League.
After 10 intense weeks of clutch AWP plays, critical arts, and satisfying 'doinks', an overall franchise winner will be crowned along with three individual game champions."
Well, as a matter of fact, the first broadcast is live right now!
Future broadcasts will follow this weekly pattern:
(Times in BST)
There are a few ways to get in on the action:
...or just turn on the TV if you live in broadcast range (I don't).
The addition of eSports to BBC's broadcast lineup comes four months after a BBC story that predicted sharp growth in eSports in the very near future.
"Esports will generate more than £1bn in global revenue and almost double its audience to nearly 600 million people by 2020"
The BBC piece notes that owners of mainstream professional sports teams are making big investments into eSports, with many of them even purchasing or creating their own eSports teams. Industry analysts predict that eSports as a category are on track to become one of the top 5 sports in the world by fanbase.
You might also like some of my other recent articles:
