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It is safe to say that eSports have become increasingly popular in recent times, as people have finally discovered the skill involved in playing some of the toughest video games around. Jumping on the eSports bandwagon, Sky has now formed a new partnership with Ginx TV and ITV in order to create the United Kingdom’s first ever 24/7 eSports TV channel.
Ginx eSports TV
Giving the Sky Sports TV package a fresh digital edge, Ginx eSports TV will appear on channel 470, slotting in alongside Sky Sports 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Sky Sports F1, and Sky Sports News HQ.
Electronic Sports League
What many may not know is that Sky actually dabbled in the format back in March, as at the time they teamed up with Electronic Sports League (ESL) to highlight the ESL Intel Masters World Championship that took place in Katowice, Poland. What this initial foray allowed Sky to showcase was games such as Dota 2, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, with the highlights “package” featured on Sky 2. Going full throttle, the new venture from Sky is sure to appease eSports fans, as the format will finally be placed on the primetime stage.
Mainstream exposure
Speaking on the prospective launch of Sky’s eSports channel, Michiel Bakker (Ginx TV CEO) said, “[Sky] will add significant mainstream exposure to the eSports ecosystem”. The new channel will feature competition from the leading eSports competitions in the world, including Counter Strike: Global Offensive ELEAGUE, Valve’s The International Dota 2, and Wembley Arena’s eSports Championship Series Finals. For years eSports have been on the backburner as far as sporting competition is concerned, with it receiving minimal mainstream coverage. Through Sky that could all be about to change, as eSports is now being given a brand new stage, with the format now set to sit alongside Sky’s biggest sporting broadcasts!