Gfinity Elite Series signs exclusivity deal with Facebook

This past weekend marked the start of the third season of Gfinity's Elite Series, and now Gfinity has announced that it will stream digital broadcasts of the competition exclusively on Facebook throughout the year, covering the UK and new territories that are part of Gfinity's expansion plans, apart from Australia.

This new arrangement will cover all of the regular season and the playoffs, as well as content like behind-the-scenes videos, weekly highlights, and guest appearances from outside the world of esports, including Adebayo Akinfenwa, who will be hosting Game-On FIFA 18; a show which will air every Wednesday throughout the season.

The Elite Series is now the first UK tournament to be streamed exclusively on Facebook, and the action will take place every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Neville Upton, CEO of Gfinity plc, said: "Facebook is a leading global brand with over 2 billion people on the platform and this partnership brings to life their commitment to drive innovation and engagement in esports with their huge gaming community. This pioneering deal will enable us to accelerate our plans for growth into new markets to reach our Gfinity World Series goal."

Patrick Chapman, manager of esports partnerships at Facebook, added: "The Gfinity Elite Series has quickly established itself as one of the leading productions and innovative leagues in esports globally. We are excited to welcome the Gfinity team and support them in their international expansion to build one of the most dynamic and exciting esports leagues in the world."

With the ESL committing to Facebook as a platform for the Pro League and ESL One competitions, and outlets like Unilad already sharing content from the Elite Series on the social media site, do you think Facebook can be a major player in esports in the future?