OVO locks down Australian Esports League broadcasting deal
OVO's aggressive push for streaming rights shifts into the esports arena with a new five year deal.
OVO has announced that it has signed a five year deal with the Australian Esports League for exclusive streaming rights to the League's competition broadcasts.
The esports coverage on Ovo's OVOPlay will get its own dedicated channel, with the first event due to be broadcast on Easter Monday as part of the AEL University Cup.
That will bring 28 University teams together to battle it out in Dota 2, CS:GO and Rocket League, but it's only the start of OVO's planned coverage, with the expectation that OVO will provide more than 140 hours of competition across the first year of the deal.
OVO's pitch for its esports coverage is that it's a natural fit for the majority of its customer base on simple demographic grounds. "The largest segment of OVO's customers is aged between 10 and 25," said OVO CEO, Matt Jones. "They, and their parents, are the main users of our most subscribed prepaid mobile products."
"It was inevitable that OVO would move into the esports space."
"AESA has put the Australian esports fan base at 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.
OVO's coverage of the AEL will be data-free for OVO Mobile subscribers, just as it does for its existing motorsport, sailing, gymnastics and water polo streaming services.
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