With ESL One Cologne already on the cards, it's hardly a surprise that Counter-Strike: Global Offensive's best-endowed league is also returning for 2016. Last year, we streamed 30 million hours of the ESL One Pro League, and it looks as if ESL is planning to push the event from 'large' to 'ludicrous' starting February 9 and coming to a head in May.
The statement reads as an acknowledgment of the pitfalls esports has skirted in 2015 and a major boast: yes, there's been trouble, but look, we're on telly! Despite being altogether more inconvenient than streaming, television is still treated as the Grail of acceptance and respectability for esports. I'm intrigued to see how and where CS:GO will be broadcast, and who that televisual CS:GO-watching demographic consists of.
The full rundown and schedule of the 24 teams taking part will soon be available on the ESL Pro League website.
