Lionsgate’s Pilgrim Media Group teams up with ESL to create esports TV shows

Lionsgate‘s Pilgrim Media Group is pairing up with competitive game tournament organizer ESL to create unscripted digital and television programming around esports.

The question has been which of the traditional networks and production companies will be the first to produce mainstream esports broadcasts on both traditional television and digital channels. Last year, Lionsgate bought more than half of Craig Piligian’s Pilgrim Studios (now renamed Pilgrim Media Group), making of unscripted programming shows such as The Ultimate Fighter, Fast N’ Loud, Wicked Tuna, Ghost Hunters, and Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s. And now it is making its move into esports. Market research group Newzoo reported in January, the esports economy is projected to grow to $1.1 billion in revenue by 2019 and entertain an audience of 345 million.