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BT Sport will join BBC 3 in covering Gfinity's Elite Series

Published: 07:49 01 Aug 2017 BST

Gaming controller
So long as Andy Townsend is not doing the post-game analysis ...

BT Sport is joining BBC Three in jumping on the eSports bandwagon by broadcasting the Elite Series being run by Gfinity Plc (LON:GFIN).

The series, which takes place at the Gfinity Esports Arena in London, has been running since 7 July, so BT has been a bit late in latching on to the phenomenon, but only a few days later than BBC Three, which started showing games and exclusive short-form content from the tournament on 28 July.

The BT deal will bring eSports, already viewed by millions online, to new audiences and allow BT Sport subscribers to view the tournament, which will feature some of the top professional players in competitive gaming from both the UK and internationally.

READ: Gfinity’s Elite Series tournament to be broadcast by BBC Three

The Gfinity Elite Series is scheduled to run for nine weeks.

Gfinity said this is the first time the UK eSports community has had the opportunity to participate in a structured live league competition featuring top UK and foreign players based in London, at both grass roots and pro-level.

“The league promises to offer exciting new opportunities to watch or play in a fiercely competitive environment,” Gfinity said.

"This fantastic tie-up with Gfinity marks our latest move to support and engage with the passionate and extensive gaming community here in the UK,” said Andy Haworth, BT’s managing director of content and strategy.

“The popularity of competitive gaming is growing rapidly and we are excited to announce that the inaugural season of the Elite Series will be broadcast on BT Sport," he added.

Neville Upton, chief executive of Gfinity, said the deal with BT was “an amazing opportunity to bring esports to a new audience in the UK, showcasing the incredible engagement and passion of the gamers and fans”.

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