PGL announces GRID official data partner for CS:GO PGL Antwerp
Esports data platform GRID Esports has been selected as the official data partner of CS:GO PGL Antwerp. The partnership will have GRID as a data solution provider and commercial and broadcasting partner for PGL, the tournament’s organizer.
Earlier this month, GRID also announced a new global circuit for CS:GO. GRID worked with five other related parties and regional organizers to realize its vision of a competitive CS:GO ecosystem.
Both GRID and PGL have been close associates for three years. This year’s partnership prolonged the two’s healthy relations as business partners.
GRID to provide data solutions to PGL
This year’s CS:GO PGL Antwerp is the 17th edition of the Major. The competition will feature 24 teams and most qualifiers are conducted through regional tournaments. The hosting country is Belgium and the tournament began on May 9. It will continue all the way to 22.
The data platform will extend its services to also include data and video security. In other words, GRID will monitor the competitive Major’s sporting integrity.
PGL CEO Silviu Stroie explained that the role GRID played for the Major is one that was crucial. He also shared their excitement to work with GRID.
“We’re excited to continue our partnership with GRID for the PGL Antwerp Major,” Stroie said.
“Data has become a vital part of the esports ecosystem. The role data plays in broadcast, integrity, and revenue is crucial to the continued growth and stability of the scene.”
GRID Chief Product Officer Charlie Hanley-Nickolls also added to the partnership excitement. For GRID, being PGL’s official data partner for the third time is “a real privilege”.
“The first esports event I ever attended as a fan was PGL Bucharest back in 2017, and the consistency and quality of what Silviu and his team put out is always first class. The fact that we can contribute to this incredible fan’s experience as the official data partner of PGL for the third year is a real privilege,” Hanley-Nickolls said.
GRID’s mission to realize competitive Counter-Strike ecosystem
In the last few months, GRID has had a packed schedule as the platform ventured with realizing its objectives in esports. GRID joined five other “foundational partners” in addition to related regional tournament organizers to work for an entirely new global circuit for CS. These include FACEIT, Relog Media, Black Molly Entertainment, Eden Esports, and Fantasyexpo.
More specifically, GRID will provide data management services for the Champion of Champions Tour, while the other five partners will work to assist CCT across three regions, namely North America, South America, and Europe. CCT has a total of $3.4m prize pool split across the three regions.
The tournament’s regional events will begin shortly in June this year and will be conducted online. Reportedly the tournament will also have LAN events that act as the Global Finals’ qualifiers set to be conducted in 2024.
Speaking during the launch of CCT, GRID COO Tom Warburton revealed that the data platform’s mission was to provide an ecosystem of multiple tiers for competitive Counter-Strike esports talents.
“Our mission is to build into the ecosystem of professional Counter-Strike across multiple tiers, providing an opportunity for emerging, regional esports talent to prove themselves and shine,” Warburton said.
“We are excited to partner with leading esports partners worldwide to enable sustainable growth of the scene and support the professionalization of our industry as a whole.”