SPI/FilmBox Acquires Rights for Esports Balkan League

Gametoon HD, a gaming channel in the SPI International/FilmBox bouquet, is set to broadcast Esports Balkan League (League of Legends) live and exclusively this summer.

SPI International/FilmBox has acquired the linear and digital rights to the regional gaming league, a professional esports competition in which the best eight teams from ten European countries compete in a League of Legends tournament for the championship title. Gametoon HD viewers can live stream the esports events globally beginning June 24 until the finals on August 24. This year, the top eight Balkan teams will compete for an aggregate prize pool of €40,000 (US$45,200).

Season five of Esports Balkan League covers ten countries: Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Albania. Among the eight competing teams is last year’s winner, Random 5 from Bulgaria, along with several other competitors, including Crvena Zvezda, ASUS, LevelUp, X25, Upper Echelon, The Plan and WiLD. The league features the teams competing in a double round robin “best-of-one” format throughout the season, with the top four teams advancing to playoffs.

“It is with great pleasure that I announce the SPI/FilmBox’s Gametoon HD channel is the sole carrier of EBL (League of Legends), the biggest regional esports competition featuring the most popular online video game ever,” said Revi Benshoshan, director of acquisitions at SPI International. “It is only fitting that SPI, one of the most strategic and competitive media companies in the world, signed an exclusive license agreement with Fortuna Esports, a prominent player in the field of esports event management. This summer, Gametoon HD is the only channel in the world where you can watch Esports Balkan League (League of Legends).”

Mihajlo Jovanović-Džaril, founder and CEO of Fortuna Esports, added: “We are thrilled about our partnership with SPI/FilmBox and because Esports Balkan League will be available to an even wider audience through Gametoon HD in its upcoming fifth season. Our region is home to many great gaming talents and it has been our mission to bring them under the spotlight. This deal is doing exactly that.”