Although partnerships between eSports league are no precedent, this is the first one to not only offer means to qualify/seed from one tournament into another but also to be bound by universal ranking and schedule tailored to accommodate the needs of all three leagues.
The CEOs of each of the three organizations had this to say:
Robert Ohlén. CEO of DreamHack AB:
"DreamHack’s philosophy has always been about inclusion and never exclusion. This joint initiative by MLG, ESL and DreamHack is something that will insure the continued growth of eSports that we have been seeing during the past 24 months, for the players, the audience and the industry as a whole."
Ralf Reichert, CEO of Turtle Entertainment GmbH:
"We are confident that with this partnership we are shaping the future of our sport. Working with DreamHack and MLG we can create a more manageable and sustainable infrastructure for players that will become the basis for eSports to realize its full potential."
Sundance DiGiovanni, CEO and Co-founder of MLG:
"The growth of competitive gaming over the last few years has been staggering and we have now reached the point where we need to align our efforts to advance eSports on a global scale. The collaboration between our organizations is the first step in a united effort to take the sport to the next level while benefiting all of those involved."
"DreamHack’s philosophy has always been about inclusion and never exclusion. This joint initiative by MLG, ESL and DreamHack is something that will insure the continued growth of eSports that we have been seeing during the past 24 months, for the players, the audience and the industry as a whole."
Ralf Reichert, CEO of Turtle Entertainment GmbH:
"We are confident that with this partnership we are shaping the future of our sport. Working with DreamHack and MLG we can create a more manageable and sustainable infrastructure for players that will become the basis for eSports to realize its full potential."
Sundance DiGiovanni, CEO and Co-founder of MLG:
"The growth of competitive gaming over the last few years has been staggering and we have now reached the point where we need to align our efforts to advance eSports on a global scale. The collaboration between our organizations is the first step in a united effort to take the sport to the next level while benefiting all of those involved."
According to the sources, the partnership will include (but not be limited to):
Universal Ranking: A universal ranking system across organizations for all major game titles directly impacting seeding and event qualification.
Master Tournament Calendar: One event calendar ensuring a minimum or no conflicts to ease players’ schedules and enables fans across the globe to easily spectate.
Unified Competition Structure: Development of a unified competition structure for all major titles at all tournaments.
Talent and Marketing Efforts: Cross promotion and support for all leagues to drive further awareness for eSports and league activities, as well as a shared roster of commentators and broadcast talent.
Additional details are said to be provided soon.
Source: ESL World
