TORONTO – A professional video game league, Major League Gaming, has launched in Canada, allowing video game players to earn prize money and rise through the ranks to secure a professional contract.
With the support of Xbox, Yahoo! Canada, Zellers, The Score Television and G4techTV Canada, Toronto-based sports media and entertainment company Insight Sports is backing MLG’s foray into the country.
Canadian video game players can sign up for online tournaments (www.mlgcanada.com) to gain points.
“Canadians definitely have game. This country has a rich tradition in the video game industry both in publishing and development and as a hotbed of talented, passionate gamers,” said MLG co-founder Sundance DiGiovanni. “We modeled MLG on traditional North American sports leagues like the NBA and NHL. The team at Insight Sports is perfect for bringing the MLG vision directly to Canada.”
A series of online tournaments will be held throughout the summer and fall. The MLG Canadian Open is set for November 2-4 at Toronto’s Direct Energy Centre during the Gaming and Digital Lifestyle show that is expected to attract over 25,000 core gamers and technology enthusiasts.
MLG is the largest organized league and international sanctioning body for the competitive sport of professional video gaming. MLG Canada is the first expansion of the league outside of the United States. MLG launched in 2002 in the United States.
Insight’s principal shareholders include Larry Tanenbaum (Kilmer Enterprises Inc., a subsidiary of Kilmer Van Nostrand Co. Limited) and MWI & Partners. Insight Sports operates three specialty television networks: CGTV, Casino and Gaming Television; GOLTV Canada, a 24-hour soccer network; and WFN: World Fishing Network; along with holding an interest in the NHL Network, a 24-hour hockey channel.
Xbox Canada is working with MLG Canada as the video game console of choice, Yahoo! Canada is a promotional partner, Zellers is a retain partner, The Score Television is the official television broadcast home of MLG content, and G4techTV is a second-window broadcast partner.
