As 2016 is quickly approaching, new shows will be unveiled and released to the airwaves, but Turner Broadcasting, otherwise known as TBS, has revealed that they are creating an eSports league. eSports are competitively played video games, like League of Legends or Counter Strike. Earlier this year, TBS made a deal with the video game company Valve to bring eSports to primetime. The first competitions will be for Counter Strike, and they will try to expand to more games after the first year. “This is a way to bring eSports to… the 90 million homes TBS is in” president of Turner Sports, Lenny Daniels, said, “There’s no doubt in our mind that this is a sport – these are athletes” Many people are in agreement with this statement, because they are a dedicated fanbase that would support their teams during the smallest of competitions.

The ELeague, or so it’s called, will bring 10 consecutive weeks of Counter Strike: Global Offensive, twice a year. This will be a big step in the right direction for the future of eSports. eSports already has a large fan base, and many people buy team jerseys and other gear. This puts eSports up in the ranks of the MLB postseason and the Final Four basketball championship. This also opens up new doors for sponsorships and more fans to add to the community.

Turner is on the opposite side of this argument than ESPN. Last year, ESPN2 aired the “Heroes of the Dorm” competition for Heroes of the Storm. After this, ESPN president John Skipper, was opposed to eSports by saying that they are not real sports. This has kept eSport leagues like FACEIT, ESL and DreamHack on platforms like Twitch TV. This is great deal for these big leagues so they gain more publicity and new fans.

“We are proud to establish a leadership position in this rapidly growing arena, which I see as a tent pole for the next chapter of TBS,” Kevin Reilly, chief creative officer for Turner, said, “The level of rabid fandom and engagement that we see in this world is extraordinary.” TBS has teamed up with WME | IMG for this event, as they are involved in over 800 live events, so that TBS can bring the best for the fans.

The qualifiers for the first tournament started on December 12. The first tournament will take place on January 7, 2016.