BAMTech, the video technology business of Major League Baseball’s Advanced Media division, will pay Riot Games a minimum of $300m (€287m) through to 2023 for the streaming rights for the company’s League of Legends esports tournaments.
The deal will give BAMTech “exclusive rights to stream and monetise League of Legends competitions.”
As part of the agreement, BAMTech will launch a streaming application in 2017 for League of Legends for PCs and smartphone devices. The aim will be to generate income through advertising and sponsorship.
BAMTech will also manage the distribution of the content to other streaming platforms. According to US sports broadcaster ESPN, these platforms could include the likes of YouTube and Twitch.
Riot’s director of esports, Whalen Rozelle, said that viewers will continue to be able to watch the coverage for free.