Features Top 24 Ranked StarCraft II Players from KeSPA’s Proleague and Western StarCraft II Players Competing Head to Head

Major League Gaming (MLG), the world’s largest competitive video game league, the Korean eSports Association (KeSPA) and the International eSports Group (IEG), today announced the MvP (MLG vs. Proleague) Invitational. This new program is the next groundbreaking step in the MLG/IEG/KeSPA collaboration announced earlier this year and is the foundation of future programs among KeSPA, IEG and MLG.

Kicking off later this month, the MvP Invitational will feature 48 of the world’s best StarCraft II players including the top 24 ranked StarCraft II Players in KeSPA’s Proleague (see list below), 12 players from North America, six players from Europe (EU) and six players from Korea /Taiwan. Broadcasts of the competition begin September 24 at www.majorleaguegaming.com with matches airing weekly.

Over the next six weeks, players will compete for a chance at $10,000 in prizes, as well as eight coveted spots in group play and an all-expenses paid trip to compete at the MLG Fall Championship in Dallas, Texas, from November 2-4.  The top eight will include four KeSPA players, two from North America, one from EU and one from Korea/Taiwan.  These top eight group play spots are in addition to the group placements from the MLG online qualifiers and those earned at the Summer Championship in Raleigh.

“We are excited to unveil the MvP Invitational as the next step in our multi-year global partnership with KeSPA, a collaboration that aims to further bridge the Western and Korean StarCraft worlds,” said Sundance DiGiovanni, CEO of Major League Gaming. “This flagship competitive program guarantees that top StarCraft II players from KeSPA’s Proleague will compete LIVE at the MLG Fall Championship in Dallas. We plan to expand MvP and roll out new programs in 2013.”

“Together with MLG, we are continuing our quest to bring the world’s top players into the international spotlight and the MvP Invitational will further the global expansion of eSports,” said Lee Young Hee, President of KeSPA.

“IEG will continue to contribute to various events between KeSPA players and international players.  With the successful launch of the MvP Invitational, we will make an effort to provide high-quality content around the world,” said Jae Myung Lee, President of IEG.

Additional details about the competition rules, players and broadcast will be announced in the coming weeks. The participating top 24 ranked StarCraft II Players from KeSPA’s Proleague include:

ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE GAMING:

Founded in 2002, Major League Gaming (MLG) (www.majorleaguegaming.com) is the dominant media property exclusively targeting tens of millions of consumers worldwide who have a passion for playing video games as a competitive social activity. The company gives aspiring gamers around the world an opportunity to compete, improve their skills, and socialize through a thriving competitive community with more than 750,000 matches each month online and LIVE in-person Pro Circuit tournaments in cities nationwide. MLG broadcasts all Pro Circuit play via LIVE streaming online to hundreds of thousands of fans from more than 170 countries.

ABOUT KESPA:

KeSPA (the Korean eSports Association) was established in 2000 under the authority of the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. It aims to protect professional gamers and pro-gaming teams, and to establish eSports as a new leisure activity, representing Korea’s next generation. KeSPA is made up of 8 executive committee member-enterprises, including SK Telecom. SK Telecom has served as the Chief Executive since 2005. Under the leadership of Mr Lee Hyoung Hee, the head of SK Telecom Corporate Relations as well as the Chief Executive of KeSPA, executive committee members and the secretariat play a vital role in the promotion of eSports at home and abroad.

ABOUT IEG:

IEG (International eSports Group) was established in 2004. IEG was the first company which started e-Sports broadcasting business in Korea. This, in return, brought rapid development of e-Sports business in Korea. During 2007 season, IEG broadened exposure of e-sports not only to conventional TV also to various portals and online sites. As stepping stone of globalization of eSports contents, it launched e-Sports channel in YOUTUBE as eportsTV (http://www.youtube.com/esportsTV ) in 2011.