However, as Stroie observes, things don’t always go exactly to plan. “Circumstances beyond our control led to a Challengers/Legends stage where the panel could not be in the same arena in Stockholm. While preparing an epic final stage in the venue, we used virtual sets for both panel and casters, running the Challengers and Legends from our studios in Bucharest, Romania. At the same time, the games were being played in Sweden. The global situation imposed by the pandemic meant many measures had to be taken to protect the health and safety of players, talent and staff. “This brought many other new challenges, but thanks to our team’s hard work and dedication, the show
went on, delivering what everybody was waiting for – a fantastic Counter-Strike experience.” INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT “Viewers had the chance to watch the final product on streaming platforms such as YouTube, Twitch
and SteamTV,” continues Stroie. “It is a complex process, and each tiny piece can be decisive, so everything needs to be well-calibrated to deliver a good result.” The goal was to reach “every CS:GO fan in every corner of the world”, as well as officially broadcast the tournament in 25 languages. To achieve this ambitious goal, PGL enlisted the help of independent producer, and sports and entertainment distributor, IMG. “In the past, we’ve distributed CS:GO majors for PGL and ELeague, and other esports events such as the Fortnite World Cup,” says IMG commercial manager Joe Jenkins. “This, in particular, felt different. It’s the first CS:GO major for two years and the highest prize pool ever – the biggest major to date. There was huge appetite and excitement for this among the community and our broadcast partners.” These included TV 2 Denmark, TV 2 Norway, Sýn hf, Perfect World, Gaules, Fantasyexpo and WePlay. Coverage could be found on OTT, on-demand esports channels, dedicated gaming platforms like Twitch and Nimo TV, plus YouTube and Facebook. “We work closely with IMG Media global sales resources in key and emerging esports markets,” says Jenkins. “Each one has a unique
SHOWTIME This was the
first CS:GO major with a live crowd for two years
IT IS A COMPLEX PROCESS, AND EACH TINY PIECE CAN BE DECISIVE
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