eSports: Twitch (Amazon) acquires Overwatch League broadcasting rights for two years (€75m)

Twitch, Amazon's video game streaming platform and affiliate, has acquired, from Blizzard Entertainment, the North American-based game publishing and development company, the worldwide broadcasting rights (except in China) to the Overwatch League for two years, on 09/01/2018. The Overwatch League is a competition organised in a similar way to the North American sports leagues (NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, MLS), with 12 franchises (see below) competing in the regular season and then in the play-offs. The 2018 season began on the 10/01/2018.

Twitch paid $90m (€75m) for the acquisition of these rights, as well as for other aspects of the agreement with Blizzard, according to the US press. The two companies had previously signed an agreement to "broadcast more than 20 major eSport Blizzard events until the end of 2018" on 20/06/2017.

In terms of amount, this agreement is comparable to the marketing and development agreement signed between MLBAM's MLB advanced online video subsidiary BAMTech and the Riot Games publisher for the 'League of Legends' game on 16/12/2016. According to the American…