The IBC Esports Showcase powered by ESL, EVS and Lagardère will feature a live esports tournament in the RAI Auditorium taking advantage of a combination of world-class tech placing spectators at the heart of the action. ESL's National Championship teams from Germany and Spain will go head-to head in a live Counter-Strike tournament on the big cinema screen in Dolby stereo.
Before the tournament, as part of the IBC Esports Showcase, IBC will bring together some of the most influential people in the world of esports, to explore the latest trends and developments, considering the business case for esports from stretch targets, challenges and opportunities for esports players and the technical delivery of esports programmes. Speakers include Chester King (British Esports Association), Michiel Bakker (GINX Esports TV Canada), Jonas Gundersen (North A/S), Henrik Nyhuis (ProSiebenSat.1 Sports GmbH), Jens Fischer (EVS), Simon Eicher (ESL), Ryan Chaply, (Twitch), and Peter Emminger (Blizzard).
Globally, esports delivers younger audiences on digital channels unheard of in traditional sports broadcasting, making this a brand-new revenue opportunity for players in the media ecosystem. “The esports focused events and activities that we presented at last year’s show were incredibly popular, underlining the unprecedented opportunities that the esports market represents,” said Steve Connolly, Business Development Director, IBC. “This year we have created a dedicated showcase with leading industry experts who will examine the state of the industry, separate the hype from the real value, highlight the production challenges and much more. It will be an unmissable day for anyone with an interest in esports.”