ESL continues musical expansion with TEG tie-up

Electronic Sports League (ESL), the world’s leading promoter of competitive videogaming events, has signed a strategic partnership with TEG Live, in a deal the latter calls a “launchpad for a new era in esports in Australia”.

It is the third such music-industry partnership signed by ESL in the past five months, following tie-ups with AEG (AEG Live/Presents, AXS, The O2 and other venues) and Vivendi (Universal Music Group, See Tickets, Digitick).

The first event co-promoted by ESL and TEG Live will be the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) – the world’s longest-running esports competition – which will visit Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena (21,000-cap.) on 6 and 7 May.

The winning team at IEM Sydney, which pits “the world’s best pro-gaming teams up against Australia’s finest” in a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament, will take home close to A$260,000 in prize money.

“TEG Live has been watching the phenomenal global growth of pro gaming and waiting for the right opportunity in the Australian market,” says TEG Live managing director, Tim McGregor. “We are thrilled to have the world’s leading esports company, ESL, as a partner.

“TEG Live has been watching the phenomenal global growth of pro gaming and waiting for the right opportunity in the Australian market”

“The Intel Extreme Masters is an exceptional event that will set the benchmark in this entertainment genre in Australia. We expect there will be huge interest from both fans and brands that have been waiting for an event of this scale to finally be staged in Australia.”

ESL’s vice-president of pro gaming, Michal Blicharz, adds: “Australia has been an attractive market for us as part of our global expansion of the IEM brand. We look forward to bringing IEM to new global audiences and making history for esports in Australia.”

TEG Live is the promotion division of Australian live entertainment group TEG, which also owns ticket agency Ticketek and data firm TEG Analytics. It also bought Paul Dainty’s Dainty Group business last July.

Global esports revenues are expected to reach US$1.1 billion by 2019.

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