Blizzard Entertainment Nets Broadcasting Deal with Korean Online Television Network GomTV

If you’re a StarCraft fan, you know that the game has a giant following in Korea. Blizzard is cashing in on this popularity in that country in a way that translates to a lot more than just games sold.

An agreement with online television network GomTV gives the channel the rights to broadcast shows based on Blizzard games. For three years, they will be able to broadcast tournaments featuring StarCraft, StarCraft II, Warcraft III and World of Warcraft.

Because finding a broadcast partner was important (South Korea has at least three networks dedicated to airing tournaments), Blizzard decided to go ahead and set up an official deal with an e-Sports broadcaster.

Mike Morhaime, president of Blizzard, issued a statement this afternoon about the contract.

“With the release of Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty approaching, we decided we could not delay any further in finding a trustworthy partner who respected our intellectual property rights. As a result of that decision, we signed a contract with GomTV which we announced today, which gives them the exclusive rights to hold and broadcast Blizzard game tournaments in Korea. We have cooperated closely with GomTV in the past, and discovered in the process that we have similar values and goals in e-Sports.”

Other networks MBCGame and OnGameNet will be allowed to broadcast tournaments until August. Blizzard’s decision hampers the Korea eSports Players Association, which typically shows its own Starcraft tournament.