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Esports takes another step towards the mainstream as Gfinity inks live BBC deal

The burgeoning eSports industry has corralled some big name backers in recent months as it continues to make strides into the mainstream globally.

Now the sport has perhaps sealed its biggest coup in the UK thus far after London-headquartered eSports firm and tournament organiser, Gfinity, has announced it has inked a deal with the BBC which will see its first-ever live broadcast on a major UK network.

Gfinity’s newly launched Elite Series will air live on the online-only BBC3 from today (Friday 28 July) with six consecutive weeks of broadcasts every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The deal marks the BBC’s first eSports series and will be complemented by various short-form content following the tournament’s competitions involving Street Fighter V, Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Rocket League with a prize pot of £225,000 up for grabs.

Gfinity Chief Executive Officer, Neville Upton, commented: “Our partnership with BBC Three will bring Elite Series live and lifestyle content to millions of new viewers and showcase the incredible dedication and passion of professional gamers.

“We are extremely excited to announce to all our fans, players and partners that for the next six consecutive weeks the Elite Series will be broadcast live on BBC Three.

“The BBC is one of the most world’s most renowned and respected broadcasters and their commitment to the Gfinity Elite Series is a defining moment for esports and we are very proud to be a part of it.”

Damian Kavanagh, Controller, BBC Three, said: “Esports has become hugely popular in the last few years with young audiences so it’s great that BBC Three can bring this to a mainstream audience and create new habits with younger audiences as we stream three of the most popular games on BBC Three across the weekend.”

London’s Gfinity has moved to cement its position as one of the leading companies in the eSports field after it acquired US eSports software business CEVO for $2.7m earlier this week.

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