Morhaime's Letter to Korean StarCraft Community

In a letter to the Korean StarCraft community, Mike Morhaime explains the situation at hand and the involvement of Blizzard in the Korean e-Sports scene that has spurred all the recent controversy over broadcasting rights.

After GOMTV's announcement of an agreement to exclusive broadcasting rights between them and Blizzard, Mike Morhaime, President of Blizzard Entertainment, has published a letter tot he Korean StarCraft community.

In this letter he explains the the relationship between Blizzzard and the Korea e-Sports Association as well as why Blizzard had chosen to stop negotiations with KeSPA as a partner in Korea.

Morhaime explains that in 2007, Blizzard was shocked and disappointed to learn that KeSPA had illegally sold broadcasting rights for StarCraft tournaments without their consent. This was a clear violation of their intellectual property rights and was the starting point of their more active involvement in the Korean e-Sports scene.

For the next three years Blizzard worked towards reaching a mutual understanding of the situation and to correct what they viewed as a skewed situation. Morhaime says that KeSPA still does not recognize their I.P. rights and to this day their suggestions echo unheard while KeSPA has offered no solutions of their own. Morhaime accuses that KeSPA has gone as far as threatened 'disadvantages' to any progame team or progamer who contacts Blizzard.

Morhaime then goes on to explain the recent GOMTV agreement. GOMTV was the solution to their quest for finding a trustworthy partner that respected their intellectual property rights.

This letter coincides with the press release by GOMTV of their agreement with Blizzard and also follows a two month grace period that has been announced for all other parties to negotiate broadcasting rights with GOMTV before negotiations resume in August.

Links
TeamLiquid.net - Source
GameChosun.co.kr - Source (Korean)
Fomos.kr - Source (Korean)