BLAST is officially set to take over operations of two key esports in “multi-year” deals: Fortnite and Rocket League. Both esports are under the control of Epic Games, but BLAST will be “responsible for the commercial rights of both games’ competitive broadcasts and events.”
BLAST previously had a deal with Fortnite to run several events, including the entirety of the 2022 and 2023 circuits. The Rocket League deal is new to BLAST, which operates several events in Counter-Strike and has control over the Rainbow Six: Siege circuit.
ESL FACEIT Group’s sheer size should’ve been enough to shatter most competitors by now. No one can compete with its Saudi Arabian war chest, and no one can compete with the number of titles under its roof. EFG doesn’t have to absorb any other tournament organizers, like PGL or BLAST—it can simply wait and let the publishers come to who will allow it to write the smallest checks for the best production. EFG offers that.
While most expected BLAST to contract in the years following the industry-shaking ESL-FACEIT merger, it’s actually been expanding. Even its existing properties, like BLAST Premier, are expanding in size.
Competition in the third-party tournament organizer market is crucial for esports’ advancement. ESL being so big that it could swallow the rest if it wanted to is a problem. ESL being so big that it can just hire away any talented employee at another company is an even bigger problem. BLAST being able to operate within the margins, snagging up contracts for esports that aren’t filling sports arenas every year, is a good sign for the future, a future with true competition between tournament organizers. Esports simply is not ready to be completely under the thumb of a sole TO that can charge what it wants.
