Torque Esports enters broadcast agreement with Blake Broadcasting

Torque Esports has entered a programming syndication agreement with Blake Broadcasting to reach new markets.

The deal will see content from Torque Esports and its UMG brand be shown in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America.

RELATED: ESL and DreamHack ink television rights deal with Blake Broadcasting

Torque Esports has recently expanded its programming offering to include sim racing, adapting to the gap left in motorsports by COVID-19. It’s said that this development was a driving factor in the deal between the two companies.

Darren Cox, President and CEO of Torque Esports, commented on the agreement in a release: “We had been planning our syndication efforts towards the Esports Upfronts event, which was to be held in April in New York. The rapid shift of interest in our existing simulator racing and competitive gaming content has been overwhelming. We had already been talking with Blake Broadcasting, so it seemed fitting to expand that deal to all of Torque & UMG Content.”

RELATED: Torque Esports to merge with Frankly and WinView

Blake Broadcasting reached an agreement with ESL and DreamHack in December to broadcast its events in the United States, Canadia, and Asia – excluding China – until July 2023. CBNN will serve as the exclusive satellite channel for the ESL Pro Tour and Dota 2 events for the duration of the deal.

Bob Blake, CEO of Blake Broadcasting, also spoke on the deal: “The live content pipeline, especially in sports, all but dried up overnight. Torque & UMG Gaming already had a strong portfolio of competitive gaming content, from virtual motorsports to traditional series and remote competitions. The quality of Torque’s programming and deep experience and history made the decision easy. Adding Overwatch Collegiate Clash and The Race All-Stars Esports Battle motorsport events to their catalog just strengthens our joint effort further.”

Esports Insider says: Seeing Blake Broadcasting stepping further into esports programming is a welcome sight, especially now with the drought left by COVID-19’s effects on traditional sports. Sim racing is undoubtedly blowing up at the moment so it’s not a huge surprise to see that it’s a prominent component of this particular agreement.

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