SAN FRANCISCO — Fans of the Overwatch video game will soon be able to watch competitions on television under a deal announced Wednesday by Activision Blizzard and Walt Disney Co. Disney and its ESPN channels will be exclusive partners for broadcasting Overwatch matches on television in the US, in the “most significant commitment” they have made to video games as spectator sport, Activision Blizzard eSports league chief Pete Vlastelica told AFP. The alliance is part of an effort to establish Overwatch eSports audiences and business models akin to those in traditional sports such as basketball or football. Financial terms of the multiyear deal were not disclosed. Playoff games beginning this week along with finals taking place in Brooklyn the last weekend of July will be on Disney XD or ESPN channels, according to the programming schedule. — AFP

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