FACEIT, a leading platform for online multiplayer games, is teaming up with Twitch to launch to launch the Esports Championship Series. Billed as a revolutionary esports initiative, the ECS’s first flagship league, ECS – Counter-Strike, will be the first professional esports league to offer teams co-ownership, which means that the teams themselves are able to share in the revenue from the championship series.
“Players and teams are the heart of the esports community and deserve the opportunity to reap the rewards of their hard work and dedication to grow esports into a mainstream phenomenon,” said Michele Attisani, co-founder of FACEIT. “We make the community our first priority and as such, we’re excited to support the first esports league that positions teams as co-owners.”
Teams and players will also be given seats on the league’s governing committee in order to help shape the league itself. They will have a say on issues like regulatory framework, players’ welfare, holidays, and best practices to ensure synergy among the league and its participants.
Stuart Saw, director of esports strategy at Twitch, said that the inspiration to partner with FACEIT in order to launch the ECS came because teams and players are looking to have a bigger voice in the esports movement.
“A major part of Twitch’s success is built around our relationship with the esports community, from the players and organizations who have made it a leading form of entertainment, to our own staff with deep roots in the scene,” said Saw.
The ECS – Counter-Strike league kicks off today with a pre-show at 8:30 AM PST and officially begins at 9 AM with a total of $3.5 million on the line in prize money. It will be showcased exclusively on Twitch.
FACEIT will also be introducing a developmental league that will be focused on feeding new teams and players into the ECS league. This development league will kick off with the launch of the second season of the ECS.
