gom-tv posts

Even though eSports isn't nearly as huge here in the US as it is in South Korea, it's clear that developer Blizzard gets a lot of money from the sales of their games in that country where eSports is a major entertainment business. This past week Blizzard signed a new deal with Korean-based GomTV to broadcast tournaments that use all of Blizzard's games, including the upcoming StarCraft II, for the next three years.

Current broadcast arrangements are apparently set to expire in August, according to web site Team Liquid (who has translated Korean-based news reports on the subject). It also has a message from Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime who said that previous arrangements with Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) had collapsed over issues of intellectual property rights. However it looks like KeSPA sees things differently. Team Liquid reports that in response to the Blizzard-GomTV deal, KeSPA believes Blizzard has over-stretched its rights over using their games in eSports event, saying, "Car Companies do not ask for usage fees from racing car contests."