Sportsnet, ESL Partner to Deliver Esports Content on Sportsnet NOW, Sportsnet 360

Sportsnet continues provide unique sports content and programming to Canadians through a new deal with ESL, the world’s largest esports league, by acquiring the exclusive rights to ESL’s esportsTV, the first global 24/7 esports television channel.

“Sportsnet prides itself on being on the cutting edge of industry trends so we can continue to deliver premier sports experiences for our viewers,” says Jason Badal, Sr. Director, Business Affairs, Sportsnet. “Esports is on the cusp of becoming a global phenomenon and we are excited to bring this coveted content to Canadians.”

Launching this fall, esportsTV, will be available exclusively in Canada on Sportsnet NOW. In addition, a weekly esports news, highlights and analysis program will air on Sportsnet 360 beginning in July. Additional details will be announced at a later date.

This new agreement makes Rogers the first telecommunications company in Canada to secure exclusive rights to esports content.

And it’s not just about tuning in and watching from the sidelines – gamers can also jump into the action with Rogers Internet, recognized as Canada’s fastest by Speedtest*. Through robust technology and peering agreements with leading gaming platforms such as Steam, Rogers Internet customers can enjoy fast, smooth gameplay so they can compete with the best in the world. Average download rates published by Steam show that Rogers consistently tops the list of providers across Canada.

“There are 19 million people in Canada who identify as gamers and Rogers Ignite Internet is optimized to bring them our best possible online gaming experience,” says Mark Shinozaki, Director, Internet Product Management, Rogers Communications. “In the real-time world of gaming, any lag or stutter can be the difference between winning and losing and our Ignite Gigabit service delivers our fastest speeds for multiple devices in the home, giving gamers a competitive edge.”

Rogers Internet customers also get the gaming advantage through:

• Rogers rollout of DOCSIS 3.1 – the latest and fastest cable network technology to support increased gameplay, streaming and use of multiple devices simultaneously without compromise.
• Rogers Gigabit Wi-Fi modem – powered by the all-new Intel® PUMA™ 7 chipset, featuring the fastest Wi-Fi technology – 802.11ac Wave 2 with multi-user MIMO.

*Source: Based on Ookla’s Speedtest Intelligence data for Q3-Q4 2016