ESPN is broadcasting the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) Spring Split Playoffs, after striking a deal with Riot Games.

The agreement, which kicked in yesterday (8 April 2020), is just the latest example of a major mainstream broadcaster scaling up their esports offering in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

The Playoffs are being aired on linear TV via ESPN2 or digitally on the ESPN app, with ESPN being billed as the official linear and authenticated streaming platform for the Spring Split – though games will still be streamed on Lolesports, Twitch, and YouTube too.

Discussing the deal ESPN VP/digital programming, John Lasker, said:

“We’re excited to work with Riot Games to create innovative content opportunities around this amazing franchise system. Showcasing one of the most popular esports in the world with the LCS’ Spring Split playoffs allows ESPN to serve new audiences.”

While LCS Commissioner, Chris Greeley, added:

“Now more than ever, coming together to watch and enjoy elite competitive gaming has the power to unite us as a community. We’re thrilled to bring the very best of the LCS to new audiences and existing fans through this partnership and look forward to some high-skill games on the Rift as we crown a new Spring champion.”

The 6-team LCS Spring Split, which began last week with online-only games, will run through to a grand final on 19 April. The champion will move on to the Mid-Season Invitation, where they will compete with global regional League of Legends series winners.

Just last week ESPN broadcast a 12-hour block of esports including Apex Legends, F1, Madden, NBA 2K, and Rocket League.

AYO.NEWS says:

Major television networks are scrambling to increase their esports offering in response to traditional sports being all but wiped out by the COVID-19 crisis. Last week we reported that NBC had followed FOX’s lead and significantly expanded its sim racing coverage.

Though esports is an easy sell to views when there’s nothing else to watch, it remains to be seen if they will maintain their appeal when the crisis has passed. Of course, many would argue that esports are often much more engaging for viewers than traditional sports, and they might be more convenient from a technical point-of-view for the networks. So, could we be witnessing a real sea change?

AYO.NEWS says features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited.

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