Ginx Esports TV to leave Virgin Media in HD row

Ginx Esports TV is due to pull its channel from the Virgin Media platform in the UK over a row about picture quality and contract terms.

In a statement, Ginx said that it has terminated its contract with Virgin over its failure to launch the Ginx TV channel in high definition.

However, Virgin Media claimed that it was the one that decided not to renew its agreement with Ginx after reviewing both Ginx’s terms and the performance of the channel.

The channel cease to broadcast on the Virgin platform from October 22.

“It’s a shame Virgin Media has not honoured its originally stated intention to launch GINX TV in HD,” said Ginx Esports TV CEO, Michiel Bakker. “Our viewers are increasingly asking us for HD, given the detail in video-game graphics, and our contract contained all necessary provisions to facilitate this transition.

“We have helped Virgin Media, a broadband company, establish an initial foothold in eSports and are disappointed by their unwillingness to deliver on what they promised. We believe that asking us to effectively pay for SD distribution whilst also charging its customers substantial fees for TV channel packages is unfair to both us and customers.”

A Virgin Media spokesperson said in a statement: “We met all of our commitments set out under our former agreement with Ginx Esports TV. After reviewing the performance of the channel and considering the terms Ginx put forward we chose not to renew our agreement. We wish Ginx Esports TV all the best for the future.”

Ginx TV will remain available on the Sky platform in the UK, as well as through live TV streaming platform TVPlayer and via its own website Ginx.tv.