SKY, ITV team with Ginx to launch UK’s only 24-hour eSports channel
Editor
| 17 June 2016
Leading mainstream broadcasters Sky and ITV have joined forces with Ginx TV to tap into the slowly emerging eSports arena.
The two firms have announced an official partnership with the UK and Ireland’s current sole 24-hour eSports TV channel and are expected to take minority equity stakes in order to support its growth.
GINX eSports TV aims to bring the very best of eSports to video gaming fans and will showcase major eSports tournaments from across the globe, as well as what it calls unique independent programming. The schedule will include coverage of Turner’s ELEAGUE tournament, FACE Its eSports Championship Series, and Valve’s The International Dota 2, which GINX eSports TV will be covering live from its new central London studio. Other content partners will include Riot, Activision, EGL and Gfinity.
From 23 June 2016 GINX eSports TV will exist in the sports section of the Sky electronic programme guide (EPG) having been previously only available on Virgin Media. Outside the UK & Ireland, GINX eSports TV will be distributed to an additional 23 million households, a move that the company says makes it the largest eSports TV channel in the world, reaching 37 million homes.
Commenting on the partnerships and the future for the company, Ginx TV CEO Michiel Bakker said: “GINX eSports TV aims to add significant mainstream TV exposure to the fast growing eSports ecosystem. Complementing online streaming, with an entertainment-led approach, the launch on Sky and the rebrand across all our 37 million households allows us to help new audiences discover eSports and hopefully gives core fans a fresh perspective. I am also delighted about the prospect of Sky and ITV joining our shareholder roster, it goes without saying that the combined media footprint and expertise of both presents a significant opportunity for us to make a bigger impact, faster.”
Added Emma Lloyd, group director of business development and strategic partnerships, Sky: This is an exciting new partnership which will help us develop our understanding of eSports and its audience. At Sky we are committed to bringing new programmes and channels such as GINX eSports TV to support and extend our leadership position in content. We look forward to working with Ginx and ITV on developing a channel which will capture the growing appetite for eSports.”
Editor
| 17 June 2016
Leading mainstream broadcasters Sky and ITV have joined forces with Ginx TV to tap into the slowly emerging eSports arena.
The two firms have announced an official partnership with the UK and Ireland’s current sole 24-hour eSports TV channel and are expected to take minority equity stakes in order to support its growth.
GINX eSports TV aims to bring the very best of eSports to video gaming fans and will showcase major eSports tournaments from across the globe, as well as what it calls unique independent programming. The schedule will include coverage of Turner’s ELEAGUE tournament, FACE Its eSports Championship Series, and Valve’s The International Dota 2, which GINX eSports TV will be covering live from its new central London studio. Other content partners will include Riot, Activision, EGL and Gfinity.
From 23 June 2016 GINX eSports TV will exist in the sports section of the Sky electronic programme guide (EPG) having been previously only available on Virgin Media. Outside the UK & Ireland, GINX eSports TV will be distributed to an additional 23 million households, a move that the company says makes it the largest eSports TV channel in the world, reaching 37 million homes.
Commenting on the partnerships and the future for the company, Ginx TV CEO Michiel Bakker said: “GINX eSports TV aims to add significant mainstream TV exposure to the fast growing eSports ecosystem. Complementing online streaming, with an entertainment-led approach, the launch on Sky and the rebrand across all our 37 million households allows us to help new audiences discover eSports and hopefully gives core fans a fresh perspective. I am also delighted about the prospect of Sky and ITV joining our shareholder roster, it goes without saying that the combined media footprint and expertise of both presents a significant opportunity for us to make a bigger impact, faster.”
Added Emma Lloyd, group director of business development and strategic partnerships, Sky: This is an exciting new partnership which will help us develop our understanding of eSports and its audience. At Sky we are committed to bringing new programmes and channels such as GINX eSports TV to support and extend our leadership position in content. We look forward to working with Ginx and ITV on developing a channel which will capture the growing appetite for eSports.”