Vivendi, Canal Group in ESL Pact

PARIS: Vivendi and Canal Group have aligned with eSports giant ESL in a pact that encompasses the launch of official leagues in France and television coverage.

The first official esports leagues in France will be based on the existing ESL Championnat National. These competitions will air on CANAL Group channels. The companies say that discussions are under way with publishers to determine which games will be included in the competitions.

The alliance also sees CANAL Group and ESL collaborating to develop and promote eSports in France via the staging of major international events in the country. Vivendi will assist in those endeavors through Universal Music Group and Dailymotion and in live events such as L’Olympia and Digitick.

Separately, Canal Group has launched Canal eSports Club, a dedicated show covering the eSports scene, and is airing in prime time this month the documentary Game Fever.