MBC Plus Media, a subsidiary of one of Korea's largest broadcasting networks, has reportedly secured a deal with Blizzard to air the Overwatch League Korean broadcast and Contenders Korea on their sports channels. Sports Chosun broke the news on the deal, which will push out OGN, broadcaster of the Overwatch APEX Series for the last two years. In their place, MBC will integrate the APEX system into their Contenders Korea broadcast.
The move will mark MBC's return to esports after dropping their dedicated esports channel in 2012. Sports Chosun's report details issues that harmed negations between Blizzard and OGN, including OGN's Player Unknown's Battlegrounds and League of Legends commitments, as well as high fees for the broadcast rights.
For now, the unfinalized deal remains unannounced by the two parties. The move will likely be met by a fair amount of criticism from the competitive community due to the loss of OGN's well respected production. However, a partnership between Blizzard and one of Korea's largest networks is a promising sign for the future of Overwatch esports, as similar deals are likely set to be finalized in other regions.