Sky takes a first step into eSports tournament coverage
Highlights from the ESL Intel Masters World Championship will be shown on Sky 2.
With millions of fans regularly tuning into services like Twitch and YouTube Gaming to watch their favourite titles being played at the highest level, traditional TV broadcasters are starting to take note. Last year, BBC Three dipped its toe into the world of eSports with live League of Legends tournament coverage, and today Sky will become the latest UK provider to tap into this growing audience. Airing at 10PM tonight on Sky 2, a two-hour show will cover highlights from the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends and Starcraft II tournaments that've taken place at the ESL Intel Masters World Championship over the past five days.
It'll be the first time a major eSports event has been covered by Sky, though the broadcaster has shown some love for competitive gaming before now. Last year, Sky produced a short featurette introducing eSports, and is currently interested in a documentary about eSports betting. ESPN is leading the charge with live eSports coverage in the US, though several competitors are waiting patiently in the wings. A Sky Sports rep told us today's highlight show doesn't signal a huge commitment to eSports coverage, but the broadcaster is well aware of the appetite for it. It's still too early to tell, however, whether the huge online audiences will down their laptops for the living room TV.
