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Ziff Davis, the owner of IGN (and a bunch of other stuff), is apparently not doing so well - they're shutting down some of their other gaming sites, laying off some people, and most importantly to SC2, they want to sell the IPL.
http://kotaku.com/5986027/ziff-davis-shuts-1up-gamespy-and-ugo
As a result of our decision to focus on our core brands, we are:
...
· Actively engaged with parties interested in acquiring IPL. IGN's role going forward will be to broadcast and cover a variety of eSports events;
The statement does imply that there are "parties" already interested in buying IPL, which is a good sign. Hopefully whoever buys it will put as much or more effort into it than IGN did.
EDIT: From Kevin Knocke (IPL caster):
Hey everyone! Don't worry about us. ^__^ We're all still together and making content, and you'll know much more from us soon.
P.S. The speculation in this thread is hilarious to me. :D Don't fret, everyone.
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewpost.php?post_id=17853890
And from David Ting, General Manager of IPL (or something like that) on Twitter:
Thank you everyone for your kind words. I am working with Ziff Davis to find a great home for @IGNProLeague. Will announce when ready.
EDIT 2: Incontrol says on State of the Game (2/28) that he heard IPL was actually profitable, just not enough for Ziff Davis to keep.
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SUPRISE!:D
quite expected tbh.
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East Gorteau22261 Posts
I just hope things work out for Kevin and Robin - I've really grown to like those two. And, of course, I hope IPL doesn't drop in quality either. It's reguarly been one of the best tournaments of the year since IPL3, and it'd be a damn shame if that changed.
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Hope this doesn't affect the IPL we know and love too much
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Hmm, I wouldn't be so quick to jump on this as being a negative thing. We're not sure how transactions will go just yet. For all we know IPL could end up in just as good of hands, or perhaps even better if the right people buy it.
We'll really just need to wait and see since this is more administrative; unless of course, they just don't sell it to the right people and everything falls apart - but I don't see that happening ~
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mrchae is gonna buy ipl imho
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if gom bought IPL that would be the sickest thing ever.
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I don't see gomtv buying IPL, unless they wanted to expand and make it like the real GSL of the west with their own production and casters. Players would be there live and in person and it could be broadcasted at NA-friendly hours, maybe a league more for good foreigners than Koreans. Polt could play in it.
Sounds pretty good but it will never happen.
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Sadly coming since October :\
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LOL expected news. sc2 does not have a successful business model. early profits soon wane into bankruptcy
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Oh no... I hope IPL is able to survive this. The support for IPL seems strong enough to warrant it to survive temporarily, but I'm concerned about the long-term once a full-time sponsor or "parent" company isn't around to support it. Maybe Gom or MLG could buy parts of it and make either GSL America, or expand the MLG empire.
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East Gorteau22261 Posts
On February 22 2013 05:09 lessQQmorePEWPEW wrote:
LOL expected news. sc2 does not have a successful business model. early profits soon wane into bankruptcy
Are you saying IPL made IGN go bankrupt, or am I misunderstanding? Because that would be "LOL"-worthy indeed.
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Would be interesting if Riot ended up as the buyer.
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United Kingdom50293 Posts
On February 22 2013 05:06 Dodgin wrote:
I don't see gomtv buying IPL, unless they wanted to expand and make it like the real GSL of the west with their own production and casters. Players would be there live and in person and it could be broadcasted at NA-friendly hours, maybe a league more for good foreigners than Koreans. Polt could play in it.
Sounds pretty good but it will never happen.
Got it, fionn to buy IPL rename to international polt league a tournament for the sole purpose of keeping polt in pro gaming as he studies in America.
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I can't say this is surprising.
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United States12267 Posts
I wonder if David Ting and the other prominent IPL employees are still working there?
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T.O.P.
Hong Kong4685 Posts
I can't see why anyone would buy IPL. It doesn't make sense for a competitor to buy it at all. Why waste money on acquiring IPL when money off better spent investing in your product. Secondly, why would a investor invest into a product that is not profitable.
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On February 22 2013 05:17 T.O.P. wrote:
I can't see why anyone would buy IPL. It doesn't make sense for a competitor to buy it at all. Why waste money on acquiring IPL when money off better spent investing in your product. Secondly, why would a investor invest into a product that is not profitable.
MLG could always buy it and squash it.
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IPL is ending. MLG's revenue is not enough to pay interest. GOM is losing foreign subscribers day by day.
Looks like the beginning of the end for anything that's not Kespa. BW 2.0 incoming.
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EPT
