Now TV takes first steps into esports with Qlash partnership

Sky has taken its latest step into esports via a partnership between its streaming service Now TV and Italian organisation Qlash.

The companies claim that this deal makes Now TV the first OTT platform to invest in the esports world.

Italy is a growing market for esports, with about 1.4 million enthusiasts in the country. This is also a highly sought-after market, with its audience having an average age of 18-34.

One of the most prominent performances of this partnership will be visible as Now TV serves as the main sponsor of the Qlash jersey that will be released in FIFA and its popular Ultimate Team mode.

The pair will also host an esports tournament from December 5-16, with each participant getting a free one-month trial of Now TV. The top five players will get specific prizes related to the gaming world.

The event will be streamed on Twitch.

Now TV will also have a dedicated space in the Qlash House – one of the largest esports-dedicated complexes in the world – in the province of Treviso.

While Sky has dipped its toes into esports in the past, this is the first time that the Now TV brand has been involved with the sector, and marks a more permanent partnership between the operator and one of the world’s most prominent esports organisations.