Sports media platform DAZN has announced a partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation ahead of the upcoming Esports World Cup.
DAZN will broadcast the entirety of the Esports World Cup for free through its platform and will be a strategic partner for the esports and gaming event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
DAZN is a global streaming platform that focuses mostly on a variety of sports programming and streaming. The platform broadcasts live and on-demand sports and holds more than 70 licences for different sports and leagues across a variety of territories. This includes the NFL, FIBA World Cup, Champions Chess Tour, UCI World Tour, Formula 1 and other sports.
In esports, DAZN has secured several licensing deals in the past, with the likes of the Champion of Champions Tour, BLAST Premier, eChampions League and other competitions broadcasted through the platform. The inaugural edition of the Esports World Cup will be available for free on DAZN, and the company has noted in a release that it aims to work closely with the Esports World Cup Foundation to further expand and develop the event in the future.
The Esports World Cup will last throughout July and August and feature a $60m (~£48.1m) prize pool across 21 esports titles. The event has attracted criticism due to its connections to the Saudi Arabian regime, known for human rights issues and aggressive laws towards certain groups.
Ralf Reichert, CEO of Esports World Cup Foundation, commented: “We’re excited to team up with DAZN and build traditional sports coverage for the Esports World Cup.
“As we work to establish esports as a vital driver of global culture, partnerships with market leaders like DAZN are essential long-term steps to stimulate sustained interest and engage global fan communities. I’m looking forward to DAZN’s world-class coverage of EWC and commitment as we celebrate competitive excellence and gaming culture together.”
