Aditya ChaudhuriMumbai-based Indian OTT platform ZEE5 has acquired the streaming rights for the IESF Big Bang Asia Open 2023, thereby entering the world of esports. The tournament will be streamed on the platform from March 4 to April 2, 2023.
The IESF Big Bang Asia Open 2023 has over 80,000 participants from across 40 countries in Asia and the Middle East. With qualifiers already underway on passport.gg, ZEE5 is the exclusive streaming partner for the play-offs and the finals of the four featured games: Clash of Clans, Real Cricket, Dota 2 and eFootball.
Manish Kalra, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 India, commented:
“We are delighted to announce the streaming of the leading esports championship, IESF Big Bang Asia Open 2023 on ZEE5. Being a customer first brand, we are committed to catering to consumers’ widespread demands. Esports is a popular genre amongst youth with a remarkable potential to grow in future, with advancements in technology and gaming infrastructure. Post the encouraging response on ILT20, we are happy to partner with IESF and Big Bang Media for the Big Bang Asia 2023 tournament. We are excited and hopeful audiences will enjoy watching the games.“
GBS Bindra, Chief Business Officer of Hipi, said:
“Big Bang Asia Open is more than just a tournament, it’s an electrifying experience that brings together the best online gamers from across Asia. We are thrilled to bring the finest moments from this exhilarating event to millions of fans, as the official short video partner for Big Bang Asia Open. Gaming enthusiasts on Hipi will have exclusive access to the exciting highlights and moments from the tournament.“
The schedule is as follows:
| Game | Date (2023) | Time (IST) |
| Clash of Clans | March 4–5 | 12:30 to 21:00 |
| Real Cricket | March 11–12 | 12:30 to 21:00 |
| Dota 2 | March 14–19 | 12:30 to 21:00 |
| eFootball | April 1–2 | 12:30 to 21:00 |
