NEW DELHI : ESports startup NODWIN Gaming has partnered with Star Sports Network to broadcast Battlegrounds Mobile India Masters Series live on Indian television for the first time. The tournament will be broadcast in prime time from June 24 to July 17.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and CEO, NODWIN Gaming said: “There have been postponed broadcasts of eSports tournaments from the US on television channels, but this is the first time an eSports tournament of India is broadcast live on television.
In India, linear television is the traditional mode for viewers to follow the action when a program is broadcast at a set time on a particular channel, while eSports television is usually broadcast across platforms. digital like Hotstar and YouTube.
“Our aspiration is to change the behavior of advertisers, big brands and parents who feel so proud that their children are now on national television. . There’s a value to being on Star Sports rather than on YouTube,” he added.
On average, viewership for a major eSports tournament on digital platforms is 300,000 to 1 million concurrently, which equates to 5-7 million viewers per game, Rathee said.
He doesn’t expect digital audiences to watch the tournament on TV. “We are expecting more new viewers,” added Rathee.
The startup is reaching viewers in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. That’s why the first two languages for the live broadcast are Hindi and Tamil. Rathee explains English as a third language.
As Sanjog Gupta, Head, Sports, Disney Star points out, eSports in India is a rapidly growing segment and has been rapidly adopted over the past two years.
“Star Sports is always looking for opportunities to engage fans, excite communities and recruit new audiences. Our partnership with NODWIN Gaming aims to shape the future of esports in India by how to present high-quality competitions and featured players to millions of TV viewers around the country,” Gupta added.
NODWIN Gaming is expected to announce digital streaming partners for the BGMI Masters Series next week.
Founded in 2015 and acquired by Nazara Technologies in 2018, NODWIN Gaming is one of the leading eSports companies in South Asia.
The overall eSports industry in India is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 46% from 250 crore next year 2021 1,100 crore by 2025, according to EY’s June 2021 report.
