Home Gaming SuperSport to air ELeague CS:GO live starting this weekend

SuperSport to air ELeague CS:GO live starting this weekend

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SuperSport logo1

eSports just keeps getting more popular. We know it sells out massive arenas and gets people incredibly excited. ESPN jumped onto things, airing a few major tournaments and getting quite a lot of viewers for it. Now, SuperSport is looking to do the same locally.

According to the Press Release, ELeague, a major tournament taking place in Atlanta for the next 10 weeks, will be broadcast on SuperSport. The league is offering $1.2 million in prize money as 18 CS:GO teams go head to head. You can expect to see the likes of Mouseesports, Luminosity Gaming, Virtus.pro, Team Liquid and Ninjas in Pyjamas. According to SuperSport CEO Gideon Khobane:

ELeague is at the forefront of eSport and we’re looking forward to charting this new frontier on both digital and television platforms. Our debut broadcast of eSport earlier this year was very well received throughout the gaming community. Over 200 million people watch eSport annually – we hope to add to that impressive number.

The way it will work is that the Monday-Thursday action will be streamed live on supersport.com with the final nights of each league being broadcast live on SuperSport from the US early on Saturday mornings. That’s right, the timing is a bit uncomfortable for your typical sports fans – games will be shown at 4am on SS6 or SS7 depending. Here’s the full schedule:

  • 28 May – Week 1: Final (4:00am, SS6)
  • 4 June – Week 2: Final (4:00am, SS6)
  • 11 June – Week 3: Final (4:00am, SS6)
  • 18 June – Week 4: Final (4:00am, SS6)
  • 25 June – Week 5: Final (4:00am, SS6)
  • 2 July – Week 6: Final (4:00am, SS7)
  • Week 7 – BYE
  • 16 July – Week 8: Last Change Qualifier (4:00am, SS6)
  • 23 July – Week 9: Quarter Finals (4:00am, SS5)
  • 30 July – Week 10: Semi Finals (4:00am, SS7)
  • 30 July – Global Championships (4:00am, SS7)

I think this is great news for eSports. Sure, it doesn’t mean much for SuperSport to give up their 4am slot for something strange and different. In fact, it sort of feels like a cop out – they get to take credit for showing eSports without actually bumping their usual lineup to do so. What would normally be shown then, vintage rugby games?

But it is something. This means the beginning of mainstream attention for eSports in a segment of South African TV that is dominated by traditional sports. This is the how it begins, and how we see it grow. So, if you’re awake at 4am and still have DSTV, be sure to check out the action. Every viewer counts and hopefully they realize that eSports is worthwhile and start showing more of it during more usual times. Just imagine major local tournaments being aired on SuperSport… this is how it begins.

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Last Updated: May 26, 2016

17 Comments

  1. Admiral Chief Protector

    May 26, 2016 at 15:35

    Hey, that is a victory!

    Although no self respecting gamer will wake up at that hour…staying away UNTIL that time however…

    Reply

  2. Greylingad[He Charges!]

    May 26, 2016 at 15:43

    This is really good news! Maybe the adoption on our (thirty guys fighting over an egg shaped ball) dominated airwaves will roll over to something big?

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

      May 26, 2016 at 15:46

      22 guys falling for no reason over a round ball is way bigger

      Reply

      • Greylingad[He Charges!]

        May 26, 2016 at 16:01

        You see, most sports require one ball to compete, Rally requires two…

        But I seriously prefer Rugby over the 22 guys and their whining…

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

          May 26, 2016 at 16:03

          Same here

          Reply

    • Darren Peach

      May 26, 2016 at 16:03

      But, I love Rugby.

      Reply

      • Greylingad[He Charges!]

        May 26, 2016 at 16:38

        I used to, then I got injured…

        Reply

        • Darren Peach

          May 26, 2016 at 16:47

          I broke my wrist severely as a young punk from Skateboarding. Rugby was deemed to violent for my wrist after that.

          Reply

          • Greylingad[He Charges!]

            May 26, 2016 at 17:12

            Ouch… But rugby after any injury is madness…

  3. Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

    May 26, 2016 at 15:45

  4. Darren Peach

    May 26, 2016 at 16:02

    You Joking. Supersport. There is hope for humanity. I am so sick of the IPL.

    Reply

  5. Spathi

    May 26, 2016 at 16:03

    WHOOOOOT!!! Only thing now missing is a subscription to DSTV… 🙂

    Reply

    • Darren Peach

      May 26, 2016 at 16:04

      When Discovery shows things like Street Outlaws ( Strangely addictive ), You aint missing that much.

      Reply

      • Spathi

        May 26, 2016 at 16:06

        Yeah, will continue getting my CS:GO fix on twitch or through the game itself, won’t get DSTV. But I’m super excited that they are starting to realise e-sport is awesome!

        Reply

        • Darren Peach

          May 26, 2016 at 16:08

          It sometimes feels like our entertainment industry or media sector works against the consumer. The biggest problem is capping.

          Reply

      • Skittle

        May 27, 2016 at 07:41

        I hate that show with a passion.. I can’t stop watching it though..

        Reply

  6. chimera_85

    May 27, 2016 at 10:55

    Wow GG SS

    Reply

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