Championship Gaming Series Announces $5 Million Payroll

Competitors in the Championship Gaming Series will rake in over $5 million during the 2007 season.

The Championship Gaming Series, the first global professional gaming league, revealed that its 2007 payroll and bonuses will exceed $5 million.

Commissioner Andy Reif commented, "This is the moment the gaming world has been waiting for. We will be paying salaries and bonuses to our players in excess of $5 million dollars during the 2007 season. The time has come for a new era of professional gaming as sports entertainment."

Players will be competing on the Xbox 360 and PC platforms in Counter-Strike Source, FIFA 2007, Dead or Alive 4 and Project Gotham Racing 3. Online qualifying matches began on April 28 and live matches will be hosted at The Bridge Cinema de Lux in Los Angeles on May 11-12. On June 12, the Playboy Mansion will play host to the first CGS player draft. Events will be broadcast in North America on DIRECTV's The 101.