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It has been announced that Christina Alejandre and Min-Sik Ko have been appointed as executives of the ELeague; the forthcoming televised esports league in the States.
The ELeague, which is a joint effort between Turner Broadcasting and agency WME | IMG, will launch in May and show regular Counter-Striker: Global Offensive tournaments. Min-Sik Ko will take on the position of Commissioner whilst Alejandre will be both Vice President and GM.
Tobias Sherman, head of the WME | IMG esports division said of the league’s new commissioner: “Min-Sik’s unparalleled experience in strategic management and organizational administration in the world of eSports makes him the perfect candidate to lead Eleague as its Commissioner.”
He added: “We’re incredibly excited for the debut of Eleague, as we build the foundation for a new global sports league that will feature world class entertainment and competition between the best of the best.”
Ko boasts considerable experience in the esports industry having worked as a Business Relationship Manager at Twitch, in addition to co-founding Global Esports Management. Alejandre previously spent half a year at ESL and a short stint as Publishing Director at Turbine. She also has experience in the entertainment industry having worked at Nickelodeon.
Craig Barry, EVP of Production and Chief Content Officer at Turner Sports said of Alejandre’s appointment: “Christina’s proven track record and experience as a leader in the entertainment, gaming and eSports industries give her the ability to expertly lead and drive the day-to-day business operations of Eleague.”
He continued: “As we launch Eleague, she will be an invaluable resource as we build an infrastructure that provides a high quality, authentic product for our fans, while also supporting the continued growth of the overall eSports ecosystem.”
The headquarters for Eleague will be at Turner Studios in Atlanta, and WME | IMG has committed to weekly telecasts airing on TBS, according to its official site.
This league will be the first time that gaming has been shown regularly on a fully-distributed national television platform. The company has committed to ensuring that output will be reflective of the coverage of major traditional American sports leagues such as the NBA and Major League Baseball.
