ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has announced a new partnership with TikTok, bringing ESL’s esports tournaments to the app in vertical form for mobile viewers.
ESL FACEIT Group targets mobile viewership with TikTok partnership
The partnership will see ESL broadcast its tournaments on the platform, starting with its debut at IEM Atlanta, where the platform saw ESL debut.
The livestream will not be a simple rebroadcast of the usual stream, but will feature bespoke graphics, overlays, and production elements to suit the vertical format. EFG has also promised behind-the-scenes content for the platform, and bespoke highlights tailored for the space.
The move seeks to exploit a growing percentage of viewership that consumes content in mobile form, with mobile devices accounting for 56% of total esports viewing globally, according to recent data from SQ magazine.
The announcement is the second broadcast deal signed by EFG in as many months, as the Tournament Organizer announced a deal with Kick in April, which saw ESL broadcast tournaments on the platform, including ESL Challenger League on an exclusive basis.
In return, TikTok has agreed to promote the content and provide access to promotional tools and its gaming creator network, allowing TikTok streamers to co-stream the esports events.
Steve Ford, SVP Advertising and Distribution at ESL FACEIT Group, shared the TO’s goals on the platform, stating, “Partnering with TikTok marks an important step in how we evolve esports broadcasting.
“With the launch at IEM Atlanta last weekend, we introduced a purpose-built vertical viewing experience designed for mobile audiences, while continuing to expand how fans discover and engage with our tournaments.”
Langer Lee, Head of Global Operations at TikTok Gaming shared the platform’s enthusiasm for the deal, stating, “With the new TikTok for Gaming platform, we’re accelerating how the world’s best gaming content partners engage their audiences.
“ESL FACEIT Group embodies that vision – bringing live esports into a format our community genuinely loves, with the interactive engagement that unites content creators, players, and fans in one place.”
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Darragh is an Esports Journalist for Insider Gaming specialising in Counter-Strike. He loves to explore how esports teams work, or why they very often do not.
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