Esports is a booming industry in India, with millions of fans and players engaging in various competitive video games. One of the most popular games in the country is Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), a battle royale game that is the Indian version of PUBG Mobile. BGMI has a huge esports scene, with several tournaments and events being organized by different entities.
One of the entities that is actively promoting BGMI esports is Star Sports, India’s leading sports channel. Star Sports has partnered with NODWIN Gaming, one of the biggest esports companies in India, to broadcast the BGMI Masters Series tournament on television and online platforms. The BGMI Masters Series is a LAN event that features the top 24 BGMI teams in India, competing for a prize pool of Rs 1.5 crore in 2022 and Rs 2.1 crore in 2023.
The tournament format and schedule
The BGMI Masters Series has four stages: Launch Week, League Stages, Weekly Finals and Grand Finals. The Launch Week was held from June 24th to June 27th, 2022, where the 24 teams were divided into three groups and played against each other to qualify for the League Stages. The League Stages were held from June 28th to July 10th, 2022, where the teams played in a round-robin format to secure their place in the Weekly Finals. The Weekly Finals were held from July 1st to July 10th, 2022, where the top 16 teams from the League Stages competed for a spot in the Grand Finals. The Grand Finals were held from July 13th to July 17th, 2022, where the best of the best battle for the ultimate glory and the lion’s share of the prize pool.
The tournament was aired live on Star Sports 2 from the NODWIN Studios in New Delhi, in Hindi, Tamil and English languages. The tournament also showcased some of the most intense rivalries and exciting matches in BGMI esports history. Some of the notable rivalries were between Tanmay “Scout” Singh and Jonathan “Jonathan” Amaral, two veteran players who have represented India on the global stage; Harmandeep “Mavi” Singh and Scout, former teammates who parted ways and joined different teams; and Team Soul, Team Godlike and Blind Esports, three of the most popular and dominant teams in India.
The tournament also witnessed some amazing performances and achievements by the participating teams and players. Some of them were: Global Esports, who emerged as the champions of the BGMI Masters Series Season 1, defeating Team Soul in a nail-biting finale; Cameron Green, who scored 52 runs off 21 balls for Australia in the third T20 match against India; and Tim David, who scored 54 runs for Australia in the same match.
The partnership between Star Sports and NODWIN Gaming
The partnership between Star Sports and NODWIN Gaming is a landmark moment for BGMI esports in India, as it brings esports to a wider audience and gives it more recognition and legitimacy as a sport. The initiative also aims to connect core esports fans with viewers from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds, making esports content more inclusive and appealing to a broader audience.
Star Sports and NODWIN Gaming have also announced that they will continue their collaboration for BGMI Masters Series Season 2, which will be held later this year.
How to watch BGMI Masters Series online
If you want to watch the BGMI Masters Series online, you have a few options. You can watch the live stream on the following platforms:
- LOCO: This is an app that allows you to watch and chat with your favourite gamers and streamers. You can download the LOCO app on Android or iOS and watch the BGMI Masters Series live stream in Hindi.
- Glance: This is a platform that delivers personalized content on your lock screen. You can watch the BGMI Masters Series live stream on Glance by swiping right on your lock screen and tapping on the Glance Live icon.
- Hotstar: This is a streaming service that offers a variety of content, including sports, movies, shows, and news. You can watch the BGMI Masters Series live stream on Hotstar by subscribing to Disney+ Hotstar VIP or Premium plans. You can access Hotstar on your web browser or download the app on Android or iOS. However, if you are outside India, you will need a VPN service to watch Hotstar.
