ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has entered a strategic broadcasting partnership with the livestreaming platform KICK. The agreement aims to reach new viewer demographics and expand into high-growth markets such as the Middle East and North Africa.
For esports viewers, the most important aspect of this deal is how it affects where tournaments are broadcast. The partnership divides EFG’s broadcasting strategy into two distinct categories based on the tier of the tournament.
Tier-One tournaments remain on multiple platforms
Major tier-one events for Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 will continue to be broadcast across multiple platforms. KICK has acquired non-exclusive English-language distribution rights for these events. This means that premier tournaments, including the Intel Extreme Masters, ESL One, and the ESL Pro League, will still be available to watch on traditional platforms like Twitch and YouTube alongside KICK. EFG has described this part of the deal as an addition to their existing broadcasting strategy rather than a replacement.
ESL Challenger League moves exclusively to KICK
The significant change for viewers concerns the ESL Challenger League. Under the new agreement, the English-language broadcast for the ESL Challenger League will be exclusive to KICK and EFG’s owned channels. Fans who specifically follow this tier-two competitive ecosystem will need to use KICK to watch the English streams.
Background
KICK launched in 2022 and has reported a user base of over 100 million. By securing exclusive rights to the Challenger League and adding tier-one events to its roster, KICK is aiming to establish a stronger presence in esports broadcasting. For EFG, this move allows them to test an exclusive model for their tier-two events while maintaining broad accessibility for their highest-profile competitions.
