Sky & ITV invest in esports channel

UK pay-television broadcaster Sky and commercial broadcaster ITV have each invested £1.55m (€1.8m/$2m) in Ginx TV, which owns 24-hour esports channel Ginx eSports TV.

Both broadcasters will have the option to increase their stakes.

Ginx eSports TV, which launched on Sky’s platform in June, is the only 24-hour channel in the UK and Ireland that is dedicated solely to esports.

The channel shows gaming tournaments such as Turner’s ELeague, the FaceIt eSports Championship Series and Valve’s The International Dota 2. Ginx eSports TV is basing its broadcasts from its new studio in King’s Cross, London.

Ginx eSports TV is also available to users of the Sky Q service through the short-form online video section of the Sky Q electronic programme guide.

“We’re really excited to have followed up our commercial partnership with Ginx with this investment, which will help us deepen our understanding of esports and its audience,” Emma Lloyd, group director of business development and strategic partnerships at Sky, said. “At Sky we are committed to bringing new programmes and channels such as Ginx eSports TV to support and extend our leadership position in content.”