• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 01:50
CEST 07:50
KST 14:50
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
[ASL19] Finals Recap: Standing Tall9HomeStory Cup 27 - Info & Preview18Classic wins Code S Season 2 (2025)16Code S RO4 & Finals Preview: herO, Rogue, Classic, GuMiho0TL Team Map Contest #5: Presented by Monster Energy6
Community News
Flash Announces Hiatus From ASL61Weekly Cups (June 23-29): Reynor in world title form?13FEL Cracov 2025 (July 27) - $8000 live event19Esports World Cup 2025 - Final Player Roster16Weekly Cups (June 16-22): Clem strikes back1
StarCraft 2
General
Statistics for vetoed/disliked maps Program: SC2 / XSplit / OBS Scene Switcher The SCII GOAT: A statistical Evaluation Weekly Cups (June 23-29): Reynor in world title form? PiG Sty Festival #5: Playoffs Preview + Groups Recap
Tourneys
FEL Cracov 2025 (July 27) - $8000 live event RSL: Revival, a new crowdfunded tournament series Korean Starcraft League Week 77 Master Swan Open (Global Bronze-Master 2) [GSL 2025] Code S: Season 2 - Semi Finals & Finals
Strategy
How did i lose this ZvP, whats the proper response Simple Questions Simple Answers
Custom Maps
[UMS] Zillion Zerglings
External Content
Mutation # 480 Moths to the Flame Mutation # 479 Worn Out Welcome Mutation # 478 Instant Karma Mutation # 477 Slow and Steady
Brood War
General
Flash Announces Hiatus From ASL Player “Jedi” cheat on CSL ASL20 Preliminary Maps SC uni coach streams logging into betting site BGH Mineral Boosts Tutorial Video
Tourneys
[BSL20] Grand Finals - Sunday 20:00 CET [Megathread] Daily Proleagues Small VOD Thread 2.0 [BSL20] GosuLeague RO16 - Tue & Wed 20:00+CET
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers I am doing this better than progamers do.
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread Path of Exile What do you want from future RTS games? Beyond All Reason
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Trading/Investing Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine The Games Industry And ATVI
Fan Clubs
SKT1 Classic Fan Club! Maru Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread [Manga] One Piece [\m/] Heavy Metal Thread
Sports
2024 - 2025 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion NBA General Discussion TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 NHL Playoffs 2024
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
Blogs
Culture Clash in Video Games…
TrAiDoS
from making sc maps to makin…
Husyelt
Blog #2
tankgirl
StarCraft improvement
iopq
Trip to the Zoo
micronesia
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 559 users

[Update] KeSPA Speaks Out On Intellectual Property Rights

Forum Index > BW General
823 CommentsPost a Reply
1 2 3 4 5 40 41 42 Next All
Waxangel
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
United States33339 Posts
May 03 2010 22:30 GMT
#1
Please don't edit my post, other mods. I'll update it if I think there's any new info that I think is worth posting.

Official KeSPA Statement, English version
Kespa e-mailed various foreign e-sports sites their official English version of their statement. Here it is.

KeSPA & 12 Pro Game Teams
Express Regret at Blizzard’s one-way interview saying final split with KeSPA
KeSPA tries to resume negotiations for e-Sports fans


Korea e-Sports Association (President Cho, Ki Haeng, www.e-sports.or.kr) said “Although, KeSPA has negotiated with Blizzard sincerely and faithfully for last three years, U.S.-based game developer Blizzard confirmed final split with KeSPA through a media interview without any prior notice. We expressed our deep regret to that.” Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime told a Korean media on April 23 in its headquarters in Irvine, California, U.S. that IP rights negotiations with KeSPA finally reached an impasse, so the company is looking for a new partner”.

Choi, Won-Je, the Secretary-general of KeSPA, told “Because Blizzard had asked NDA (Non-disclosure agreement) on the negotiations, we didn’t comment on this matter to keep faith”. “However, Blizzard said it seized the negotiations one-sidedly through interview and it significantly distorted the truth about the reason of split. That’s the reason to indicate our stance,” added the Secretary-general.

▶ All pro game teams including Broadcasters agree to take joint action
All board members of KeSPA including Ongame Network and MBC Game reached an agreement to set the KeSPA as a contact point to negotiate and take joint action against Blizzard’s issue as well. KeSPA and pro game teams express their stance on this issue like below.

▶ Controversial on accepted range of original IP rights in e-Sports
e-Sports is a kind of future-oriented industry dealing with game. It can be considered that e-Sports is located between ‘Game industry’ and ‘Sports Entertainment’. It is not only a place for satisfying customers and generating revenue for game developers, but a place of PR and Marketing for enterprises.

It needs a mutual cooperation among game developers, e-Sports organizations and associations when a game to be developed as an e-Sports title because of the characteristic of e-Sports above. However, if game industries assert their rights to maximize the pursuit of profits after their games become core e-Sports title, it can be serious obstacles for e-Sports to take roots as future-oriented entertainment industry.

KeSPA has expressed its position of being willing to pay for a rational level of usage fee and appeal its support of marketing and promotion for product line-up of Blizzard with continuous investment such as sharing all contents which belong to KeSPA like pro gamers, broadcasting and sponsorship.

However, Blizzard has asserted not the right as a copyright but unreasonable demands as following.

1. Set the contract term for using its games to 1 year
2. Prior approvals about all league operations such as contracting sponsorship, marketing materials, broadcasting plan
3. License fee for running of league and all license fee of sponsorship inducement
4. Ownership of all broadcasted programs, program videos
5. Right to audit KeSPA

Through 3-year negotiations, KeSPA requested Blizzard to withdraw or change some unacceptable conditions to protect the rights and interests of professional gamers, teams and e-Sports fans. Even KeSPA suggested positive cooperation including marketing supports etc, Blizzard has stuck to their principle, not to resume the negotiation, till the KeSPA accept all conditions. But recently, Blizzard distorted the truth of breakdown, claiming KeSPA didn’t admit Blizzard’s IP rights request without unveiling its excessive demand conditions.

▶ The IP rights negotiation process between KeSPA and Blizzard
In Feb, 2007, Blizzard sent ‘official document to forbid Starcraft broadcasting contract’ to KeSPA through its law firm. Then after, KeSPA has negotiated with Blizzard about all the conditions including broadcasting rights. Actually, during 3 years, KeSPA met Blizzard just few times and Blizzard postponed or resumed the negotiations one-sidedly by reason of launch schedule of Starcraft2 .
On June, 2009, KeSPA and Blizzard resumed the negotiation before the releasing Starcraft2, but Blizzard seized it again unilaterally. Then after, KeSPA requested to resume the negotiations and meet Mike Morhaime directly but Blizzard kept the silent regarding and urged to accept the conditions.

▶ KeSPA tries to resume negotiations to protect right to see of e-Sports fans
KeSPA said there still remain many problems on negotiations with Blizzard, it will readily resume negotiations again at any time to protect right to see of e-Sports fans and continue its development with a broad view. KeSPA already sent an official document to CEO Mike Morhaime to request of resume negotiations. KeSPA and all pro game teams plan to hold joint press conference sometime soon if it needed. Fin.




Here is my initial translation of the Korean document.

A few weeks ago, Mike Morhaime dropped a bomb during a Yonhap News interview announcing that Blizzard would cease negotiating with KeSPA as an E-Sports partner in Korea. On may 3rd, KeSPA hit back with their response by releasing their official statement to various Korean media outlets.

Here is my translation of KeSPA's statement, which I acquired through Fomos.
http://www.fomos.kr/board/board.php?mode=read&keyno=106401&db=issue
Is it too much to ask for some responsible sourcing?


A united response, from the broadcasters and the pro-gaming teams.
All of the companies on KeSPA’s board of directors recognize KeSPA as their sole representative, and have agreed to act together in the negotiations with Blizzard regarding intellectual property rights. The stance of the association and the pro-game teams on the breakdown in negotiations with Blizzard is as follows.

How far does the creator’s copyright extend in E-sports?
E-sports is a newly emerging sports industry based around video games, and is a gaming business as well as a sports-entertainment business that provides game developers an opportunity to increase revenue and customer satisfaction, and provides sponsors the opportunity to promote and market their products. Taking these features into consideration, if a game is to become a popular E-sports competition, the game developer and the E-sports organization must have a flexible relationship. If a game achieves success as an iconic E-sports competition (note: KeSPA does not name Starcraft specifically), and the developer pursues profits by declaring that their copyright is valid in the sports industry as well, then that is a large obstacle for E-sports’ growth and establishment as a future sports-entertainment industry.

Despite this, the association has attempted to preserve the fans’ rights as spectators by recognizing Blizzard’s copyright from the very beginning of the negotiations. The association promised Blizzard the continued marketing and promotional support of their products through the use of all our resources including players, teams and broadcasting, and constant investment including the obtainment of sponsorships, as well as expressing an interest in paying a reasonable usage fee for their products. However, Blizzard would have limited the usage period of a game to only one year (note: I have no idea what the heck this means), which would make it difficult to run a stable E-sports league. In addition, Blizzard requests that all aspects of league management would have be authorized by them beforehand, including the acquiring of sponsorships, marketing planning and broadcast planning. Furthermore, Blizzard made other unreasonable requests beyond the rights of the copyright holder, such as royalties and sub-licensing fees on sponsorships and broadcasting fees, the right to audit KeSPA’s finances, as well as ownership of secondary content created through our unique resources in the teams, players, and broadcasting expertise.

Until now, the association has requested that Blizzard withdraw their demands that would interfere with the rights and well-being of the players, teams, broadcasters and fans, while expressing our desire to continue assisting Blizzard as the original copyright holder with our resources. However, Blizzard continued to hold the policy that they would not return to the negotiation table until the association accepted their demands. Blizzard has stayed silent about their unreasonable demands, while distorting the situation around the breakdown into negotiations by claiming it is due to the association’s refusal to recognize their intellectual property rights.


The process of the negotiations
In February of 2007, the association received a request for the ‘cessation of broadcast contracts regarding Starcraft’ (note: this refers to the broadcasting rights scandal of 2007, where KeSPA tried to sell the rights to broadcast Starcraft leagues) from Blizzard’s legal representatives, and we began negotiations on broadcasting rights and several other matters. While it has been three years since then, very few times did we actually sit down to talk, while Blizzard would arbitrarily halt or reopen negotiations depending on the progress of Starcraft II’s development. When Starcraft II’s release date became more clear last June, the negotiations opened again, only to stopped by Blizzard after the game’s release was delayed. While KeSPA has asked several times to continue negotiations or to speak with Blizzard’s Michael Morhaime, Blizzard continued to ask us to change our stance, or met us with silence completely.

Continuing to work for the rights of E-sports fans
While problems still remain in the negotiations between the Korea E-Sports Association and Blizzard, we are always willing to continue negotiations for the sake of E-sports fans and the development of the E-sports market as a whole. To that end, we have sent an official request to Mike Morhaime of Blizzard to re-open the negotiations. If it is necessary in the future, the association and the pro-game teams are willing to hold a joint press conference on this matter as well.

Facebook Twitter Reddit
AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?
rotinegg
Profile Blog Joined April 2009
United States1719 Posts
May 03 2010 22:34 GMT
#2
i don't know who's side of the story to believe
Translator
Lightwip
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States5497 Posts
May 03 2010 22:35 GMT
#3
Thanks, I always wanted to know what KeSPA had to say.
If you are not Bisu, chances are I hate you.
Adron
Profile Joined February 2010
Netherlands839 Posts
May 03 2010 22:36 GMT
#4
hmm, looks like blizzard woke up and eecided it wanted a piece of the pie Kespa baked.
Or am i way off here?
rotinegg
Profile Blog Joined April 2009
United States1719 Posts
May 03 2010 22:37 GMT
#5
^ if what Kespa claims is true, then me thinks so, but we'll have to wait for a response from blizz to see how much of the statement is true
Translator
nTooMuch
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States127 Posts
May 03 2010 22:38 GMT
#6
On May 04 2010 07:34 rotinegg wrote:
i don't know who's side of the story to believe

rarely would you go wrong to trusting blizzard.....on the other hand, you have kespa
Ian Ian Ian
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
915 Posts
May 03 2010 22:38 GMT
#7
Can someone like summarize this? I don't really get whats going on
Waxangel
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
United States33339 Posts
May 03 2010 22:38 GMT
#8
On May 04 2010 07:36 Adron wrote:
hmm, looks like blizzard woke up and eecided it wanted a piece of the pie Kespa baked.
Or am i way off here?


while there could be a long debate over how representative KeSPA is of everyone who makes e-sports in korea possible, yes, it's about Blizzard wanting ownership over secondary content created by other people using their products.
AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?
rotinegg
Profile Blog Joined April 2009
United States1719 Posts
May 03 2010 22:39 GMT
#9
On May 04 2010 07:38 nTooMuch wrote:
Show nested quote +
On May 04 2010 07:34 rotinegg wrote:
i don't know who's side of the story to believe

rarely would you go wrong to trusting blizzard.....on the other hand, you have kespa

That's my gut reaction, but Kespa isn't a bunch of idiots; they wouldn't just make up false claims that blizzard never mentioned. Or would they? :l
Translator
rredtooth
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
5459 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-05-03 22:44:37
May 03 2010 22:42 GMT
#10
i don't know if its just my long-standing hatred for kespa overwhelming my sense of logic...

but this sounds like some buuulllshiit. not only does kespa have literally no leverage against blizzard in future games, they simply wouldn't have existed were it not for the hard work blizzard put into making the game. i'm sure they were feeling the pressures and backlash from fans (i'm sure everybody who misses lan has cursed kespa under their breath) and just went into damage control mode.

i mean seriously. who the fuck is kespa? their only achievements i've heard of are almost making jaedong and a few others retire, almost killing proleague, killing GOMTV tourney probably due to Blizzard participation (LOL HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT IN THIS CONTEXT), and just overall being a bunch of bitches making terrible terrible rules (disqualification for "ggg" anyone?). if Boxer, who worked hard in pioneering ESPORTS and marketing it to the masses, said something about Blizzard then i would shut up. but kespa seems to have just suddenly appeared and claimed authority over ESPORTS and claimed it has the right to block blizzard out from getting involved in tourneys for a game they made.
[formerly sponsored by the artist formerly known as Gene]
Railz
Profile Joined July 2008
United States1449 Posts
May 03 2010 22:42 GMT
#11
How long before it will be before some moron says, "but Kespa created esports, Blizzard needs them" Kespa didn't create esports, the players did. Playing under harsh conditions with no pay, yet having the Charisma to get the government to back them is what made Kespa.

Blizzard could have ended this a long time ago and never did, all they did prior to SC2 was try and limit how much KeSPA claimed rights over it. Now blizzard is cutting them from the get go.
Did the whole world just get a lot smaller and go whooosh?_-` Number 0ne By.Fantasy Fanatic!
C0rrupt
Profile Joined March 2010
United States57 Posts
May 03 2010 22:42 GMT
#12
I hope blizzard will reopen the negotiations for the sake of E-sports
The corruption has begun
HeaDStrong
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
Scotland785 Posts
May 03 2010 22:43 GMT
#13
last article kespa looked like the villains, now.... i dont know what to believe, however, i was always more on kespa's side because of "big evil corporations"
Senx
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Sweden5901 Posts
May 03 2010 22:43 GMT
#14
Summary: Blizzard wants to get payed for having their product being used by an external company which on its own makes me money from using Blizzards product.

Kespa says "no, We do not want to pay you money or let you control the way we use your game."

Blizzard says "yes you will, otherwise you can consider the negotiations over and you will not be allowed to use starcraft to make money or create a e-sport scene around it."

I really don't see anything good coming out of this..
"trash micro but win - its marine" MC commentary during HSC 4
Krolinkos
Profile Joined February 2010
Australia74 Posts
May 03 2010 22:44 GMT
#15
On May 04 2010 07:30 Waxangel wrote:
In addition, Blizzard requests that all aspects of league management would have be authorized by them beforehand, including the acquiring of sponsorships, marketing planning and broadcast planning. Furthermore, Blizzard made other unreasonable requests beyond the rights of the copyright holder, such as royalties and sub-licensing fees on sponsorships and broadcasting fees, the right to audit KeSPA’s finances, as well as ownership of secondary content created through our unique resources in the teams, players, and broadcasting expertise.


Woah. Except for the requesting of royalties on broadcast, those are some seriously unreasonable demands. Do we have any other confirmation that this was Blizzard's negotiating position?
Unashamedly nerdy.
SichuanPanda
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
Canada1542 Posts
May 03 2010 22:44 GMT
#16
Seems to me that Blizzard wants KeSPA to stop broadcasting Brood War to coincide with StarCraft 2 Release....
i-bonjwa
rotinegg
Profile Blog Joined April 2009
United States1719 Posts
May 03 2010 22:45 GMT
#17
On May 04 2010 07:42 Railz wrote:
How long before it will be before some moron says, "but Kespa created esports, Blizzard needs them" Kespa didn't create esports, the players did. Playing under harsh conditions with no pay, yet having the Charisma to get the government to back them is what made Kespa.

Blizzard could have ended this a long time ago and never did, all they did prior to SC2 was try and limit how much KeSPA claimed rights over it. Now blizzard is cutting them from the get go.

difference is the stakes weren't that high back then, but now, esports is huge, and it's not very reasonable for blizzard to step in now and demand compensation for esports' success in SK
Translator
kawoq
Profile Joined November 2005
Guatemala357 Posts
May 03 2010 22:45 GMT
#18


cant do anything but watch how this evolve... hope for the best though..
"It is not a shameful thing to be unable to reach the goal. It's becoming afraid and running away, even before considering the fact that the road is long and rough, that is truly cowardly." by - Lim Yo Hwan aka SlayerS_Boxer from "Crazy as me"
Taku
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
Canada2036 Posts
May 03 2010 22:45 GMT
#19
Yeah if all they wanted were royalties I'm sure kespa would eventually give in somehow, but it looks like Blizzard basically wants power of veto on everything kespa does, which I doubt they will ever give.
When SC2 came for BW, I cried. Now LoL/Dota2 comes for SC2, and I laugh. \o/
rredtooth
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
5459 Posts
May 03 2010 22:46 GMT
#20
i'm actually surprised at the number of people taking kespa's side. just try to remember a time you've heard kespa's name associated with a positive act? they are just a bunch of greedy bureaucratic idiots who are trying their best to stay alive with SC2 looming around the corner.
[formerly sponsored by the artist formerly known as Gene]
1 2 3 4 5 40 41 42 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 4h 10m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft: Brood War
Leta 741
Barracks 17
LuMiX 2
Dota 2
NeuroSwarm142
XaKoH 61
League of Legends
JimRising 777
Counter-Strike
Stewie2K397
Heroes of the Storm
Khaldor178
Other Games
summit1g10628
WinterStarcraft515
RuFF_SC276
ProTech51
SortOf48
Organizations
Other Games
BasetradeTV44
StarCraft: Brood War
UltimateBattle 43
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 17 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Berry_CruncH344
• Hupsaiya 97
• Sammyuel 23
• Kozan
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• sooper7s
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Migwel
• IndyKCrew
StarCraft: Brood War
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
League of Legends
• Lourlo1266
• masondota2705
• Stunt453
Other Games
• Scarra3979
Upcoming Events
RSL Revival
4h 10m
Clem vs Classic
SHIN vs Cure
FEL
6h 10m
WardiTV European League
6h 10m
BSL: ProLeague
12h 10m
Dewalt vs Bonyth
Replay Cast
1d 18h
Sparkling Tuna Cup
2 days
WardiTV European League
2 days
The PondCast
3 days
Replay Cast
3 days
RSL Revival
4 days
[ Show More ]
Replay Cast
4 days
RSL Revival
5 days
FEL
5 days
RSL Revival
6 days
FEL
6 days
FEL
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

BSL 2v2 Season 3
HSC XXVII
Heroes 10 EU

Ongoing

JPL Season 2
BSL Season 20
Acropolis #3
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 2
CSL 17: 2025 SUMMER
Copa Latinoamericana 4
Championship of Russia 2025
RSL Revival: Season 1
Murky Cup #2
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 7
IEM Dallas 2025
PGL Astana 2025
Asian Champions League '25
BLAST Rivals Spring 2025
MESA Nomadic Masters
CCT Season 2 Global Finals
IEM Melbourne 2025

Upcoming

2025 ACS Season 2: Qualifier
CSLPRO Last Chance 2025
2025 ACS Season 2
CSLPRO Chat StarLAN 3
K-Championship
uThermal 2v2 Main Event
SEL Season 2 Championship
FEL Cracov 2025
Esports World Cup 2025
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
BLAST Open Fall 2025
BLAST Open Fall Qual
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
IEM Cologne 2025
FISSURE Playground #1
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.