PlayStation Vue gets its very own 24/7 esports channel

PlayStation Vue, Sony's streaming service, is breaking new ground by adding a channel devoted completely to esports.

ESL is bringing its esportsTV channel to the service, which will provide "24/7 esports coverage" starting later in April. ESL launched the channel in 2016 in Europe, but ESL is touting its expansion into the U.S. as America's "very first linear channel dedicated solely to esports."

Steven Roberts, executive chairman of ESL, said in a press release:

“EsportsTV is the perfect complement to the PlayStation Vue offering and represents just another step for esports as a form of mainstream entertainment. ESL is in a unique position to significantly expand the reach and impact of premium esports content and we are thrilled to bring eSportsTV to the U.S. market.”

It's a good get for PlayStation Vue, which has garnered positive reviews but also lost recently some key Viacom channels like Comedy Central and MTV. It'll also go up against the growing esports coverage on TBS and, of course, ongoing coverage on Twitter, Twitch and YouTube.

There is one catch, though: if you want to get esportsTV, you'll have to pony up a bit of extra cash as the channel will only be available on the service's "Elite" and "Ultra" plans, which run $54.99 and $74.99 a month, respectively. They also include more well-known channels such as ESPN and CNN.

For fans already subscribed to Vue, adding another channel might not be a big deal-- just some extra cash--but it may be harder to lure non-subscribers with all those free options still floating out there.