Landmark Multi-Year Partnership Marks One of The Largest Official Match Data Rights Deals in Esports, Spanning Iconic Tournaments Including Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) and ESL Pro League.
BERLIN & COLOGNE, Germany, July 30, 2025 – ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), the leading esports and video game entertainment company, and GRID, the esports match data and technology platform, today announced an exclusive, multi-year match data distribution partnership. Starting with IEM Cologne, GRID becomes the exclusive distributor, infrastructure, and integrity partner of live esports match data for all EFG-operated Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 competitions—including landmark tournaments and leagues such as the Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM), ESL Pro League, and ESL One.
Through this partnership, EFG will use GRID’s technology infrastructure to manage live match data capture and distribution for many of the most-watched events in competitive gaming globally—turning in-game data into the highest-quality real-time, official feeds and insights for fans, media, sportsbooks, and other partners. Alongside official live match data, GRID will also provide audio-video feeds (A/V) and data-powered visualizations to betting and media. Together, EFG and GRID will drive the continued innovation of EFG’s match data feeds to provide partners and fans with accurate, fast, and robust statistics and content.
“EFG has defined esports in CS2 and Dota 2 over the last two decades, and we are proud to enter into this ecosystem as an exclusive data partner,” said Moritz Maurer, CEO and Founder of GRID. “GRID and EFG share a commitment to excellence and a dedication to innovation, which has allowed us to lead in our respective fields. Ultimately, EFG and GRID, alongside the existing portfolio of leading rights holders on the GRID Data Platform, aim to establish a standard for data in esports and gaming.”
“GRID’s technology, track record, and experience pioneering this category made them a clear choice as our match data partner,” said Georg Brandes, Senior Director Media Rights & Distribution at ESL FACEIT Group. “Their integrity-driven approach has deeply resonated with us, and this partnership marks an important step forward for EFG. We’re looking forward to seeing how GRID’s technology will improve the experience for our fans, players, and partners, while unlocking new ways to engage with our products and creating innovative revenue opportunities that support a more sustainable future for esports.”
The partnership commences immediately with IEM Cologne, a USD 1.25M prize pool tournament referred to as “the Cathedral of Counter-Strike,” which drew over one million concurrent viewers and 25.5 million hours of watch time throughout the tournament in 20241. GRID customers can access live match data feeds from the event as of today.
About GRID
GRID is a data platform powering competitive gaming – capturing every moment and play to transform raw game data into commercial and fan-facing opportunities. Trusted by Riot Games, Ubisoft, KRAFTON, Montoon, BLAST, and other rightsholders and data consumers, GRID enables live esports tracking, casual player stat mapping, broadcast enhancements, next-gen betting, and new revenue streams across the ecosystem. By advancing technology and driving innovation, GRID is building the foundation for competitive gaming’s data-driven future.
About ESL FACEIT Group
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) is the leading esports and video game entertainment company dedicated to creating worlds beyond gameplay where players and fans become community. EFG is built on a legacy of world-renowned brands including ESL, FACEIT, DreamHack and DreamHack Sports Games, providing innovative ecosystems for global communities of players, fans and creators around the games they love. Working alongside leading partners, brands and global IPs, EFG operates an unmatched portfolio of live events, digital platforms and developer tools that reach and engage millions of gamers worldwide. For more information visit www.eslfaceitgroup.com.
