Activision Blizzard Media Networks Announces Esports Broadcast Network
May 12 2016 - 10:00AM
Business Wire
Debuts Enhanced Viewer Experience (EVE) at IAB
Digital Content NewFronts 2016
Today at the IAB Digital Content NewFronts 2016, Activision
Blizzard Media Networks (ABMN), a division of Activision Blizzard,
Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), announced the launch of new content, broadcast
experiences and distribution partnerships for its MLG.tv streaming
platform.
MLG.tv debuted its Enhanced Viewing Experience (EVE) at the
event, a High-Definition video stream with a built-in algorithmic
system that provides viewers with match statistics,
up-to-the-minute leaderboards and situational insights based on the
competition they are watching.
Steve Bornstein, Chairman of ABMN and former CEO of ESPN, took
the stage to introduce the network’s host, veteran broadcaster and
retired professional gamer Chris Puckett. As host of MLG.tv’s daily
ESR broadcast, Puckett will produce up-to-the-minute premium
highlights, interviews and news segments for a new generation of
sports fans.
“We’re building a network dedicated to the thrill of competition
and the passion of the fans,” said Bornstein. “MLG.tv will play a
defining role in realizing the full potential of this audience by
creating meaningful, memorable and shareable content.”
“Esports is a cultural phenomenon at its tipping point, and
we’re excited to work with the IAB to bring this message directly
to advertisers as part of the 2016 Digital Content NewFronts,” said
Mike Sepso, Senior Vice President of ABMN. “The size of our digital
network, coupled with our insights into this audience’s viewing
habits, put us in a unique position to educate the advertising
industry on how to safely target these viewers and reach them on
their platform of choice.”
ABMN will launch this content and more during the MLG Anaheim
Open, a two-day Call of Duty®: Black Ops III tournament set to kick
off on June 10, 2016. The MLG Anaheim Open will also be the
inaugural event as part of a deeper collaboration with Facebook.
The collaboration will allow MLG.tv to broadcast live competitions
and deliver ESR content to the 1.6 billion people on Facebook.
“Esports is an exciting space and continues to be a growing
priority for us,” said Dan Reed, Head of Global Sports Partnerships
for Facebook. “With over 1.6 billion people on the platform and a
growing suite of VOD and live streaming products that partners can
use to increase engagement, Facebook is uniquely positioned to help
esports fans connect around exciting moments and great esports
content. We’re thrilled to be working with Activision Blizzard
Media Networks, a leader in esports, to help fans enjoy and share a
variety of exciting new formats and programming on our
platform.”
ABMN’s NewFronts presentation opened with a video showcasing the
division’s record-breaking live championship held last month at
Nationwide Arena. Sepso and Puckett were joined by Josh Cella,
ABMN’s Head of Sales, to present the new content and advertising
opportunities to a packed house at the PlayStation Theater in Times
Square.
About Activision Blizzard
Activision Blizzard, Inc., a member of the S&P 500, is the
world’s most successful standalone interactive entertainment
company. We delight over 500 million monthly active users around
the world through franchises including Activision’s Call of
Duty®, Destiny and Skylanders®, Blizzard
Entertainment’s World of Warcraft®, StarCraft®, Diablo®
and Hearthstone®: Heroes of Warcraft™, and
King’s Candy Crush®, Pet Rescue® and Farm
Heroes®. The company is one of the Fortune “100 Best Companies
To Work For®.” Headquartered in Santa Monica,
California, Activision Blizzard has operations throughout
the world, and its games are played in 196 countries. More
information about Activision Blizzard and its products
can be found on the companyʹs
website, www.activisionblizzard.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements:
Information in this press release that involves ABMN’s
expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future,
including statements about EVE and the anticipated new content,
broadcast experiences and distribution partnerships for the MLG.tv
streaming platform, are forward-looking statements that are not
facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that
could cause ABMN’s actual future results to differ materially from
those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this
release include unanticipated product delays and other factors
identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s
most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this
release are based upon information available to ABMN and Activision
Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither ABMN nor
Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to
be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These
statements are not guarantees of the future performance of ABMN or
Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and
other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause
actual results to differ materially from current expectations.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160512005865/en/
Activision Blizzard Media NetworksBruce Dugan,
646-406-2993Director, Communicationsbdugan@mlg.tv
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