Esports giant ESL signs deal with Gaming Channel Israel broadcasts

The partnership between the Israeli channel and the world's oldest esports company is set to expand further with the establishment of Israel's Gaming Cup.

The ESL Gaming stage is seen at Gamescom in 2019. (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
The ESL Gaming stage is seen at Gamescom in 2019.
(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
International esports tournament organizer ESL Gaming, the world's oldest esports company still operating, has signed an exclusive deal with The Gaming Channel for media rights in Israel.
The German-based company has already started broadcasting its tournaments on the channel, but there are plans to expand this partnership even more in the future, according to Gaming Channel general manager Yoav Sochen.
"We're producing our very own gaming league named: The Gaming Cup," he explained.
"You can see the foundation being built for Israeli gamers with our first and single season already partnered with [several notable esports organizations] to have winners from almost any of our game titles qualify to compete in more advanced international stages, like the IESF [International Esports Federation], Blast and WSL [World Esports League] World championship... Winning locally used to be the end all be all for many Israeli gamers. One of the things we can finally do as a TV channel is provide a path to international greatness. The Gaming Cup is the first step for many gamers towards a career in professional competitive gaming."
The Gaming Channel is a new initiative launched in mid-July. It is a joint venture of the Charlton Group, known to Israelis from the world of sports broadcasting, and producer and entrepreneur Yoni Paran, who has decades of experience producing leading television programs.
Aired on HOT on channel 66, it is designed as a fun and safe space that will give parents peace of mind, compared to unsupervised YouTube channels with low production values. Its purpose is to provide gaming enthusiasts with a more exciting experience than those offered by platforms such as YouTube and the like, while at the same time presenting supervised content developed by top gaming developers from Israel and around the world. 
The channel is not the only initiative launched to help boost Israel's esports scene. Another, Team Finest, is Israel's first official esports club, and competes regularly in high-level tournaments in Europe.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.