Proximus is the latest European operator to catch the eSports bug, signing two exclusive deals to help promote the video game trend in its home market.
The Belgian telco has teamed up with ESL, the world’s largest eSports company, and Pro League, the country’s top football competition, to launch three tournaments.
The agreement with the former sees the creation of two competitions dedicated to the League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive games, while with the latter it is launching “an official eSports football-related competition” later this year.
The ESL deal also sees its eSport TV channel made available on Proximus TV, as well as the creation of a dedicated eSports website and social media channels.
Ahead of the new football tournament, Proximus revealed it is sponsoring the eDevils – Belgium’s national eSports football team.
The operator said it would offer its “expertise in terms of network infrastructure, including the roll out of fibre, its digital platforms and services” to help promote eSports across Belgium.
Guillaume Boutin, Chief Consumer Market Officer of Proximus, said: “By partnering with ESL, Proximus wishes to bring to Belgium all the knowledge and expertise of this partner that has been active in the world of eSports for years to the benefit of all Belgian amateurs by offering them top-class, world renowned championships.
“ESL is millions of players and matches played each year throughout thousands of tournaments around the world.
“Belgium will therefore henceforth be an integral part of this universe!”
Speaking about the Pro League deal, he added: “Various generations of football fans will as such be able to live their passion together thanks to the fascinating synergies which will allow us to combine the virtual world and its technology with the real world and its field.”
Proximus follows Vodafone, which signed a deal with the ESL last month, and MTS, which acquired an eSports team in January, in tapping into this emerging area.