Major new eSports tourney announced

Livesteaming channel Twitch and Faceit have announced a partnership to introduce a new CS:GO eSports tournment with a $3.5 million prize pool titled the Esports Championship Series (ECS).

Recent studies by research group Newzoo have estimated that eSports are responsible for over 21 percent of Twitch viewership (see previous reports) and with more money being invested in eSports events and more titles being developed for competitive gaming this will inevitably rise.

The partnership’s announcement reveals that 10 teams from the States and 10 teams from Europe will participate in the initial championship. The teams themselves have funded some of the prize pool which makes them co-owners of the league.

Michele Attisani, co-founder of Faceit, said: “Players and teams are the heart of the eSports community and deserve the opportunity to reap the rewards of their hard work and dedication to grow eSports into a mainstream phenomenon. We make the community our first priority and as such, we’re excited to support the first eSports league that positions teams as co-owners.”

Stuart Saw, the director of eSports strategy at Twitch says the system devised by the partnership aims to solve common anxieties such as unstable incomes, unrealistic competition schedules, and inconsistent event experiences, so players can concentrate on playing.

“Not only will players see growth through the league, the league’s supporting initiatives will help them capture value from that growth to bolster their presence, marketability, and future career prospects,” he predicted.

The partnership has also invested to provide players with travel expenses, lounges, player parties and accommodation and more. In the past some eSports competitions have been criticised for not doing enough to look after the players, as have professional teams themselves.

The partnership is also planning a player development league in the second season of the championship, and will publish more information on this soon.

Related and similar