Gaming Tourneys Coming to U.S. Television

greig writes "DirecTV is aiming to bring to the states what the South Koreans have been enjoying for years: regular broadcasts of videogaming tournaments. Games at the first tournament were Battlefield 2, Counterstrike 1.6, Halo 2, Project Gothem Racing and Dead or Alive 4. The initial broadcasts of the exhibition invitational are on the free DirecTV channel 101 this weekend. Is this the first step to escalating videogames to the status of the X-Games and poker?" Taken from the about section: "The Championship Gaming Series will launch as a league starting 2007; however, in 2006, we will broadcast 3 television events: Championship Gaming Invitational, the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) Winter Finals and an event that will be announced shortly."

Comments

Not long now guys, warm up your Shock rifles.

[LiquidCoooled]

In 2291, in an attempt to control violence among deep space miners the New Earth Government legalized no-holds-barred fighting.

Liandri Mining Corporation, working with the NEG, established a series of leagues and bloody public exhibitions.

The fight's popularity grew with their brutality. Soon, Liandri discovered that the public matches were their most profitable enterprise.

The professional league was formed; a cabal of the most violent and skilled warriors in known space, selected to fight in a Grand Tournament.

Now it is 2341, 50 years have passed since founding of DeathMatch. Profits from the Tournament number in the hundreds of billions.

You have been selected to fight in the professional league by the Liandri Rules Board. Your strength and brutality are legendary.

The time has come to prove you are the best; to crush your enemies; to win the Tournament.