During The Game Awards last December, Shaquille O’Neal announced a pro-gaming league heading to TBS called ELEAGUE. Shaq didn’t have much more outside of the initial announcement to reveal, but we now have more details on when this league will commence, as well as the format in which the competition will be conducted.

ELEAGUE will take place in biannual 10-week seasons that consist of a six-week regular season, a bye week, a one-week “wildcard” qualifier round, and two weeks of playoffs– this will include the ELEAGUE Global Championship. The first season will feature the classic competitive first-person shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and most of the top teams you know and love from the CS:GO realm, though none have been announced as of this writing. Lastly, ELEAGUE will debut on TBS, as well as various digital platforms, on May 24.

So is this a good move by TBS? The eSports scene is an overpopulated one, full of competitions that vary in scale and structure. Having an eSports league that operates in a style similar to traditional sports will create a level of accessibility for the mainstream audience that we have not yet witnessed in pro gaming. It’s easier to root for someone when the stakes are easy to comprehend. I’d say TBS’ approach is one heading in the right direction.

What teams would you like to see compete in ELEAGUE? Do you believe that Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was the right game to build an eSports show around?

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Image Credit: Valve

Malik Forté is the Gaming Editor of Nerdist and the fearless leader of the White Pants Illuminati. Find his ramblings on Twitter: @Malik4play.

Is this the tipping point for eSports entering the mainstream?