The popularity of eSports has grown over the last few years, as leagues continue to be created and major networks pick up these competitions. From Madden Tournaments on the NFL Network to Counter Strike Tournaments on TBS, networks are seeing the value of putting eSports on their airwaves. Now another network is jumping into the eSports fray, and it is a behemoth.
EA Sports announced that they have reached a deal with ESPN to air the upcoming FIFA Ultimate Team Championship Series. This will mark the first time that ESPN airs an eSports competition in the United States. The broadcasts, which will feature commentary in three languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese), will cover the entire Championship Series.
“We've long believed in the potential of competitive gaming to reach an even broader audience once games are more accessible to play and more accessible to watch,” said Todd Sitrin, senior vice president of EA’s Competitive Gaming Division. “I'm very excited to bring on ESPN who shares our vision as we pioneer the next phase of our competitions and bring experiences like EA SPORTS FIFA to more fans.”
“We’re expanding our competitive gaming portfolio to include events that also resonate with traditional sports fans, and EA’s FIFA Ultimate Team Championship Series fits perfectly into how we intend to continue to serve esports fans moving forward,” said John Lasker, vice president of programming and acquisitions with ESPN. “The opportunity to reach this passionate audience globally in multiple languages is exciting, and we are pleased to do so as part of our long-standing relationship with EA.”
The FIFA Ultimate Team Championship Series, similar to the Madden NFL 17 Championship Series, will feature players from around the globe competing to see who's the best FIFA player in the world. There are two rounds of regionals and in those regionals, players will participate in round robin and bracket play to determine who will advance to the Grand Final in Berlin on May 20.
The top 16 players for both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One from Season One and Season Two will meet in Berlin for the finals. The winners will take home a share of $400,000. In all, there is $1.3 million in prize money at stake for the entire FIFA Ultimate Team Championship Series.
Here is the entire broadcast schedule for the FIFA Ultimate Team Championship Series on the ESPN family of networks.
- Sunday, Feb. 5 (Paris): 6-7 p.m. ESPN (Tape Delay)
- Saturday, Feb. 11 (Sydney): Live at 3 a.m. on ESPN Deportes & ESPN3, 7 a.m. on ESPN2 (Tape Delay)
- Sunday, Feb. 19 (Miami): Live at 7 p.m. on ESPN2 & ESPN Deportes
- Saturday, April 8 (Vancouver): Live at 8 p.m. on ESPN2 & ESPN Deportes
- Saturday, April 22 (Singapore): Live at 6 a.m. on ESPN2 & ESPN Deportes
- Saturday, May 6 (Madrid): Live at 11 a.m. on ESPN2 & ESPN Deportes
- Saturday, May 20 (Berlin – Grand Final): Live at 11 a.m. on ESPN2 & ESPN Deportes
Are you excited to watch the FIFA Ultimate Team Championship Series on ESPN? Let us know in or comment section.
