Gfinity expands to Australia

HT&E, an Australian media company, has revealed the creation of a new brand, HT&E Events, that will be responsible for the creation of Gfinity Esports Australia alongside Gfinity Plc and IKON Media & Entertainment.

The Elite Series, which will start in Summer 2018, will see teams battling it out weekly "at dedicated esports venues". The games will be broadcasted in both online streams and "TV and media platforms".

Gfinity venture to Australia

According to the official announcement, a 5-year agreement has been made, meaning that the Gfinity Elite Series format and brand have been officially licensed to Gfinity Esports Australia.

Besides the main league, there will also be an online competition named The Challenger Series, which is set to start during this quarter. Since there will be a player draft after the amateur series, not only will it "be the battleground for amateur players to compete", but also an opportunity to play professionally in the Elite Series.

Here is what Neville Upton, Chief Executive of Gfinity, had to say about the new Australian league:

"Gfinity shares a passion for esports with gamers and fans across the world. Following Elite Series' immense popularity in the UK, we're excited to bring it to Australia where HT&E's expertise and extensive knowledge in the Australian market will be invaluable as we aim to build the most engaging and dynamic esports offering in Australia."

As for Ciaran Davis, the HT&E CEO and Managing Director said that this comes as a chance to "engage with the esports community":

"This move supports our strategic objectives to diversify revenues and expand our audience base, and we see in this opportunity the potential to reach a younger audience base and drive growth for HT&E. Leveraging our unique combination of media assets and using Gfinity's tournament platform, Gfinity Esports Australia will also be perfectly positioned to run bespoke events for sponsors and strategic partners looking to engage with the esports community – a highly engaged audience that will continue to grow."