DirecTV has announced that the Championship Gaming Series will no longer be pre-recorded as previously stated as it will now be aired live on The 101 starting July 9th. This news has come to a surprise for most, even to some of the General Managers, and will no doubt be beneficial to the success of this league. Eric Shanks, executive vice president of DirecTV Entertainment, stated, "If you can't catch a sporting event live, then it's not a true professional sport." This was one of CGS's flaws when they ran the Invitational tournaments last year and aired the episodes weeks after the event when the results were already known by the gamers. Now the CGS league will be airing 2-hour shows twice a week starting from the first regular season game to the National Championships. CGS will be working with some of the best talent in television as well as the eSports world which will no doubt generate success for the new league. Below you will find a full press release.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DIRECTV, the nation's leading satellite television provider, today announced that the Championship Gaming Series (CGS) will now air live when it begins its exclusive run on DIRECTV's original entertainment channel, The 101. The broadcast, which was originally slated to be videotaped and aired at a later date, will be the first-ever gaming event to present all the action as it happens, allowing fans at home to experience professional gaming match-ups as they would any other sport. The groundbreaking coverage will commence with the start of the CGS league on July 9 with two, 2-hour shows of new programming each week on The 101, leading up to the National Championships.
"If you can't catch a sporting event live, then it's not a true professional sport," said Eric Shanks, executive vice president, DIRECTV Entertainment. "We're giving the CGS the same star treatment as NFL Sunday Ticket and all of our innovative sports programming - capturing all the competition, sideline interaction, and behind-the-scenes excitement. Broadcasting live and in HD will give goose bumps to every professional video game athlete in the country. And goose bumps look even better in HD."
"For years the only gaming available to fans has been through the internet or taped highlight shows, both of which are usually weeks or even months old," added Andy Reif, chief executive officer of the CGS. "Now, with DIRECTV's help, we are finally able to provide gaming the coverage platform it deserves and truly show it as a real sport. Starting July 9, fans will have the chance to watch their favorite gamer or team compete without a tape delay or low-definition cyber-feed."
Legendary 11-time Emmy Award-winning sports producer Mike Burks will take the helm of the CGS television coverage, applying his expertise in sports to capture the thrilling atmosphere and non-stop action of CGS league events. Burks will employ multiple high-definition cameras throughout the league arenas and plant countless virtual cameras inside each of the games, to ensure no angle is left uncovered. CGS coverage will also feature behind-the-scenes and background segments on each of the six teams during league telecasts.
Following the U.S. National Championship, the CGS will turn its focus to other parts of the world with events in London, Dubai, Shanghai, Sydney, and Singapore. The World Championship will be distributed to over 100 million homes with broadcasts on BSkyB, STAR, and DIRECTV.
The inaugural season of the CGS begins next week with the national combine events June 9-11 at the Fox Studios in Los Angeles, followed by the league draft on June 12 at the Playboy mansion. Coverage of these events will also air on DIRECTV's The 101 in a special pre-season special leading up to the season debut on July 9.
