Professional eSports Association Tips Off

Owner-operated league will include twice-weekly matches, player benefits and more.

Seven North American e-sports teams have joined forces to create an organization dedicated to professional players, titled Professional eSports Association.

The new organization will commence operations of its Counter-Strike: Global Offensive league in early January. PEA organized twice-weekly matches will be streamed live during the 10-week seasons as teams will compete for a prize pool of at least $1 million for the first year and $500,000 for season one.

The founding PEA team franchises include Team Solomid, Cloud9, Team Liquid, Counter Logic Gaming, Immortals, NRG eSports and compLexity Gaming.

“The PEA represents something new in e-sports–an association of top teams running their own league and sharing the profits and the decision-making with the players,” says Jason Katz, commissioner, PEA. “This has been the architecture of traditional major sports leagues for many decades, but it is a new evolution for e-sports. This will allow us to finally build a stable, healthy, long-term environment for the players, the community, the media and the sponsors.”

Additionally, players and owners will receive an equal 50 percent share of profits, and PEA will also provide financial benefits and services to players including retirement and investment planning, health insurance and more.

Player representatives will also sit on both a rules committee and grievances committee.

“Publisher leagues and third-party tournament organizers aren’t sharing profits with the players and teams,” says Steve Arhancet, co-chief executive officer, Team Liquid. “This is hindering the potential for e-sports to rival other professional sports leagues, where players and teams are all aligned to put on the best show year after year.”