LetsPlay.Live (“LPL”) and SKY Sport have announced today they will be partnering to present live esports coverage to New Zealand television.
The season one coverage starts tomorrow night with the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Alpha Invitational. The invitational tournament features the top six teams from across Australia and New Zealand competing for their share in $10,000.
Auckland based Counter-Strike commentator Jordan Morrow, is excited he will be able to bring his unique talents to the masses.
“I have been commentating CS:GO online for over 3 years, it’s fantastic to see a world class broadcast facility open in my own backyard.”
SKY Director of Sport, Richard Last says: “We’re really excited about this partnership with LetsPlay.Live and the future of esports in New Zealand. We’ve seen huge growth of the sport internationally and we believe it’s only going to get bigger and more mainstream in New Zealand. The LPL team continue to push the boundaries of esports in this country and it’s great to lock this deal in. We look forward to the continued rise of esports on SKY Sport”
The coverage expands further in the following weeks to include esports leagues across multiple genres; including the recently announced Arcade Reborn Tour. Starting with the Auckland Regional Championship, the broadcast follows New Zealand’s top Dragon Ball FighterZ players vying for a chance to travel to Las Vegas to compete in the world’s most prestigious fighting game tournament.
The CS:GO Alpha Invitational airs live Thursday at 8pm on SKY Sport 2.