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Australian telecom OVO have announced their dedicated sports streaming service – OVOPlay – will start streaming content through a dedicated esports channel, with the company’s CEO Matt Jones imploring other media outlets to get involved in esports too.
OVOPlay currently specialises in streaming both grassroots sport and professional sports that aren’t represented in Australian mainstream media, such as gymnastics, water polo and niche motorsports.
The service is branching out into the up-and-coming world of esports, however, with Jones saying “it was inevitable that OVO would move into the esports space,” citing esports’ “massive” fan base, its current lack of coverage and understanding by traditional broadcasters as well as the uniquely high rate of esports fans that are also active participants.
“We’re about creating a home for unique content for fans of specific sports and entertainment, and esports has one of the fastest-growing fan bases in the world.
“Esports is the future of sport, and traditional sport broadcasters who ignore that are in immediate danger of becoming irrelevant.
“Australian esports [is watched by] more than 1.5 million people. That’s bigger than swimming and netball. If traditional sport broadcasters are wondering where their 18-to-25 year old audiences are, I can tell you: they’re over here,” he said.
The dedicated esports channel will, initially, focus primarily on the Australian Esports League’s (AEL) newly-created University Cup competition. The competition will see university-based teams around Australia compete in DotA 2, CS:GO and Rocket League competitions across ten weeks of play.
The deal will see roughly 140 hours of exclusive content produced and is tipped to reach one million viewers in Australia.
The University Cup is the first structured university-based esports league in Australia, with several intercollegiate competitions already underway in the USA.
AEL co-founder and executive producer Darren Kwan said the competition aims to provide direct career pathways for not only aspiring esports athletes, but students who want to get into esports commentary, production or administration.
With an estimated 28 Australian universities having student-run esports clubs, the University Cup should help close the gap between Australian and other esporting nations, to improving prospects for students interested in an esports career.
“We’ve created a home-grown competition to attract the most talented university-age esports athletes in the country,” Kwan said.
Registrations, which close today, are open to any and all Australian university students. You can register as an individual or as a team – if you’re already part of one. The initial prize pool will be $15,000, while matches will be streamed on three as-of-yet unannounced nights per week.