Partner brings Ginx eSports TV to Israel
Details
Rebecca Hawkes
| 15 February 2017

Israeli mobile operator Partner has added UK-based Ginx eSports TV to its 4GTV app, with the channel also set to be part of its IPTV service when launched in the first half of this year.

The companies plan to work together to add local Israeli eSports content to the channel.

The eSports genre is growing rapidly worldwide with hundreds of millions of fans now watching popular online gamers via services as Twitch and YouTube Gaming.

The success of Legends of Gaming Israel, the local version of international online reality format produced by Partner and Endemol-Shine Israel in 2016, spurred the telco “to take eSports in Israel a big step forward” by adding Ginx to its 4GTV and Partner TV platforms.

“The Israeli gaming community includes hundreds of thousands of people between the ages of 12-40, yet eSports TV content in Israel, prior to the launch of GINX, was very limited,” the telco added.

“I’m very excited that eSports is making its way into Israeli mainstream media,” said Tal ‘Fly’ Aizik, the Israeli Dota 2 player for professional team OG. “Throughout my career, I’ve represented Israel but there’s just not enough pro players from my country for it to matter. I’m glad that Ginx eSports TV is able to help shine some light on it.”

US teenagers aged 15-19 spend, on average, around one hour a week watching live eSports content on apps like Twitch, according to Ericsson ConsumerLab TV and Media Study (2016). The study also claims 40% of young adults now watch eSports content.

“We are delighted that Partner’s 4GTV App will be the first Israeli platform to launch Ginx eSports TV. We aim to provide Israel’s fast growing gaming community with an exciting mix of live eSports tournament coverage from the biggest and best events across the globe as well as a host of eSports entertainment formats, news and behind-the-scenes documentaries,” said Michiel Bakker, CEO, Ginx eSports TV.

Partner’s TV service will be based on Android TV, an operating system open to over-the-top (OTT) services, applications, video, music, games and other content, alongside Partner TV’s bundled TV channels and video-on-demand (VOD) services.