Esports tournament organiser and production company BLAST has announced a partnership with cinema chain Cineworld.
As a result of the deal, the final of the BLAST.tv Paris Major will be shown in cinemas located across eight countries.
Cinemas in the UK, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Israel, Bulgaria and Ireland will broadcast the final match of the CS:GO’s final Major on May 21st. The two remaining teams will compete for a chance to be crowned champion and win the lion’s share of $1.25m (~£999,150) in prize money.
The partnership marks Cineworld’s second foray into the esports market. In November 2022, the cinema chain showed the final of the Rio Major at its O2 Greenwich venue in London.
For BLAST, joining forces with Cineworld is another expansion of its partnership portfolio for the Paris Major. Cineworld joins the likes of alcohol brands Absolut, Ballantine’s, and Jameson in addition to French automotive brand Alpine.
Alongside hosting Counter-Strike tournaments, BLAST also hosts a range of other esports events. In March 2023, the organiser renewed its partnership with Epic Games for the Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) in a deal that will see BLAST produce three Major events and the season-ending Global Championship.
Alexander Lewin, VP of Distribution and Programming at BLAST, spoke on the deal: “The BLAST.tv Paris Major is the pinnacle of the annual esports and competitive gaming calendar.
“We are delighted to team up with Cineworld to bring this unique event live to the big screen in 8 countries worldwide, and enable fans who cannot be in Paris to experience the event in the comfort of their community.”
