Eight teams will fight for the glory of being India’s best CS:GO team.
For the first time in years, Indian CS:GO fans will be able to experience a franchised CS:GO league within the country. Skyesports Masters will feature eight of the best CS:GO teams from all over the country culminating in a LAN event in Mumbai with a live audience.
The Indian esports scene has seen consistent growth over the past few years. Jet Skyesports, one of Asia's top tournament organizers, feels the time is right for a franchised CS:GO esports League in the country. The tournament features a prize pool of ₹2,00,00,000 (roughly $250,000)
A focus on sustainability
"The Skyesports Masters is set to redefine and set an example for esports in India. With our franchised system, we have found eight fantastic partners to be a part of the inaugural season of the league," said Shiva Nandy, the Founder, and CEO, Skyesports.
Despite the large fanbase in the world’s second-largest population, ensuring a stable ecosystem for esports startups has been challenging. Skyesports hopes to tackle this issue head-on with the franchised esports league.
The announcement details sponsorship, media rights deals, and merchandise sales as the pillars of the league’s monetization. In recent years, esports tournaments in India have successfully signed exclusive broadcast deals with OTT platforms and TV channels. The increased reach of these platforms ensures brings more eyeballs to the League, generating additional interest.
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How does the League work?
"Our goal for the league is not to just create one of the grandest tournaments for audiences to enjoy but also to build a viable ecosystem for esports organizations while unlocking many revenue streams for them," Mr Nandy continued. "This is the need of the hour for the Indian esports industry as a lot of organizations are reeling under huge losses."
India has a large network of gaming cafes spread throughout the country. Leveraging this network of gaming cafes, the League hopes to usher in a ‘revival of the title’.
The Skyesports Masters has tied up with cafes from eight cities to host local qualifiers. Players from Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and more can compete in their local centers for the qualifiers.
Scouts from the eight franchised teams will be on the lookout for emerging talent in these qualifiers. The teams also have the option of picking up pro Counter-Strike players, both from India and abroad.
Skyesports Masters Playoffs
The Skyesports Masters playoffs will take place in Mumbai in a LAN setting with a live audience. The exact details of the venue, the schedule, and tickets will be announced later. All matches will be live on the org's YouTube channel.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest CS:GO news and updates.
