Gaules stands out as one of the most prominent names in the Brazilian Counter-Strike scene. A historical figure within the community. Initially as a professional player and more recently as a community caster, Gaules has amassed a substantial following, becoming the preferred Brazilian broadcaster for Counter-Strike events. However, breaking a streak of over four years, Gaules will not be holding the Brazilian-Portuguese broadcasting rights for the upcoming Counter-Strike 2 Major.
This article is grounded in publicly available information, acknowledging the possibility of private reasons for BetBoom and BTSBrasil’s decision not to collaborate with Gaules, leaving room for potential future partnerships. Any new information emerging will be promptly incorporated into this article.
Over the past few years, Gaules has experienced rapid growth on Twitch, positioning himself at the pinnacle of the platform. His Counter-Strike coverage for the Brazilian region consistently draws high viewership, not only for games featuring Brazilian teams but also for other matches. Gaules pioneered the ‘watch party’ coverage, establishing a casual and relaxed atmosphere that now dominates Counter-Strike and extends to other esports like Valorant. With over two decades of presence in the Brazilian CS scene, Gaules has become an integral part of its viewership ecosystem, with nearly every Brazilian Counter-Strike viewer familiar with his name.
Having consistently been one of the most-watched broadcasters during previous Counter-Strike Majors, Gaules has played a crucial role in shaping esports viewership. Exploring the reasons behind his exclusion from the official broadcasting rights for the upcoming PGL Major, this article delves into how this departure may impact Counter-Strike’s viewership for one of the year’s most significant events.
WHO IS GAULES?
Alexandre Borba Chiqueta, professionally known as Gaules, embarked on his esports journey in the early 2000s as a professional Counter-Strike player. After transitioning to team management, working at Samsung, and then returning to esports in the 2010s, Gaules’ reputation within the Brazilian Counter-Strike scene was already robust. By 2018, he gained international recognition as one of the foremost Brazilian Twitch streamers, reaching 100K concurrent viewers in the following year. Signing official broadcasting agreements with various Counter-Strike tournament organizers, Gaules solidified his status as one of the most popular Counter-Strike casters.
Since the StarLadder Major Berlin 2019, Gaules has held the rights to broadcast Counter-Strike Major events. The unexpected shift of these rights to BTSBrasil, in partnership with BetBoom, prompts an exploration into the events leading to Gaules losing his broadcasting rights.
WHY HAS GAULES LOST THE RIGHTS TO BROADCAST THE MAJOR
During the BetBoom Dacha event last year, BetBoom partnered with BeyondTheSummit Brasil to broadcast the BR-PT stream, leaving Gaules to opt for a “radio” stream. Gaules decided to commentate the games while displaying the HLTV scoreboard, allowing his viewers to listen to his commentary while watching the match elsewhere. Subsequently, Gaules received a letter from BetBoom threatening legal action.
Addressing the situation in a live stream, Gaules expressed:
“Yesterday we tried to bring a format so that you could watch, and what happened is that this company that organizes the championship, the sponsor of the championship, sent a message that was practically a subpoena, saying that we are not supposed to talk about the championship, it is not for us to broadcast, it’s not for us to do battery radio, we’re not supposed to do absolutely anything regarding the championship. […] Let’s prepare, organize ourselves, and I hope that in the future we can be partners. I want to broadcast, and I believe that people want us to broadcast and that it is good for everyone. I believe that if you do it and do it right, good things will happen, and that’s it.”
BTSBrasil subsequently outlined community casting rules for covering the upcoming Major, specifying that community casters are permitted to broadcast matches through the CSTV in-game spectating system. However, they are prohibited from displaying any material from the official broadcasts. Notably, broadcasting companies and their employees are prohibited from community casting, categorizing them as “Commercial Broadcasts.” This directly affects Gaules, currently in partnership with the Brazilian entertainment company Omelette Group.
Determined to cover the upcoming PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 in any form possible, Gaules expressed this commitment on Twitter.
However, Gaules, integral to Counter-Strike’s global viewership, not being the official BR-PT broadcaster for the Major may have repercussions on its viewership, as evident from the BetBoom Dacha event’s viewership statistics last year.
Gaules’ absence from the BetBoom Dacha event allowed other community casters, like olofmeister, to thrive and gain exposure to a new Brazilian audience. Olofmeister’s most popular stream to date occurred during the BetBoom Dacha event, showcasing the potential for other creators in Gaules’ absence.
Viewership statistics from the ESL Challenger at DreamHack Winter 2023, where Gaules covered MIBR’s Playoffs game against Eternal Fire, indicate a significant impact on Portuguese-language viewership. Portuguese became the most popular broadcasting language, receiving 174% more Peak Viewers than the next most popular language.
GAULES’ VIEWERSHIP FOR THE PAST 3 COUNTER-STRIKE MAJORS
Analyzing Gaules’ viewership across the past three Counter-Strike Major events—PGL Major Antwerp 2022, IEM Rio Major 2022, and BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023—reveals his substantial contribution to the overall watch time. Gaules emerged as the most-watched broadcaster for two of these events, ranking third in the most recent Parisian Major.
His coverage of these events has played a pivotal role in Counter-Strike esports’ recent viewership, contributing 22.2% to the total watch time of the past three Majors. Specifically, during the PGL Major Antwerp 2022, Gaules outperformed the official PGL Twitch channel by roughly 3.76M Hours Watched.
Gaules’ most popular matches across these Majors consistently featured Brazilian teams, showcasing the significant influence of loyal and patriotic Brazilian Counter-Strike fans on his viewership. At the IEM Rio Major 2022, Gaules contributed 97.6% of the total Portuguese-language watch time, emphasizing his dominance in the Brazilian Counter-Strike scene.
As Gaules prepares to cover the upcoming PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, the absence of his official BR-PT broadcasting could potentially impact the event’s viewership. Gaules’ support has been instrumental in achieving high viewership for Counter-Strike Majors, and his departure may provide an opportunity for other community casters to shine. Keep an eye on the Esports Charts viewership statistics for the upcoming PGL Major, as they will be continuously updated throughout the tournament, reflecting the evolving landscape of Counter-Strike viewership without Gaules’ official presence.
