It’s been another hectic week in the world of esports. We’ve seen plenty of big non-endemics fly into the space yet again – this time in varying nature as some of the world’s biggest brands have partnered across a variety of different tournaments.
We’ve seen the OWL attract SOUR PATCH KIDS and T-Mobile, ESL Germany attract McDonalds, AirAsia sponsor Mineski and Splyce enter the NBA 2K League all in the last seven days. In case you missed any details of the biggest stories, here’s our recap:
SOUR PATCH KIDS and T-Mobile sponsor the Overwatch League
The Overwatch League has added T-Mobile and SOUR PATCH KIDS to a growing list of sponsors. The companies join the likes of Toyota, OMEN by HP and Intel as partners of the inaugural season.
T-Mobile has signed a multi-year agreement to be the “official wireless provider” of the Overwatch League in the United States. The sponsorship will see the brand become exclusive title sponsor of the Overwatch League Regular Season MVP and Finals MVP. The deal will see T-Mobile provide content for its customers throughout the season. The release states there will be “exclusive perks”, an insider’s look at the top MVP candidates and more. Previously T-Mobile was a sponsor of the Overwatch World Cup.
SOUR PATCH KIDS will bring fans content that will air on the livestream. On-site, fans will see digital board messaging, branded thundersticks and free sweets at select matches.
Read the full article here.
AirAsia sponsor Mineski’s Dota 2 team
AirAsia has become the exclusive airline partner of Mineski Pro Team, a prevalent Dota 2 squad.
[Press Release] #AirAsia sponsors Dota 2 Esports Team Mineski pic.twitter.com/jqdbyxWeQX
— airasia (@airasia) January 26, 2018
The roster, made up of Chai “Mushi” Yee Fung, Kam “NaNa” Boon Seng, Daryl Koh “iceiceice” Pei Xiang, Thai Anucha “Jabz” Jirawong and Michael “ninjaboogie” Ross Jr are sat at fifth in the overall Dota Pro Circuit rankings and are well poised to secure a spot at The International.
The year long deal was announced at a press conference held at Genting International Convention Centre (“GICC”).
Read the full article here.
ESL Meisterschaft partners with Mcdonald’s Germany
The ESL Meisterschaft, home to the German Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, and FIFA 18 championships, has announced that it has brought McDonald’s Germany on board as its official partner for 2018.
Once known as the ESL Pro Series, ESL Meisterschaft is the home of several German championships – and has been since 2002. The 2018 season kicks off on Monday, January 29.
McDonald’s has something of a history with the esports industry, just as recently as 2017 it sponsored ESL’s Starcraft II World Championships in partnership with Blizzard and You Know Media. It also sponsored the NFL Madden Bowl tournament earlier in the year.
McDonald’s, of course, has been involved with traditional sports for quite some time too. The fast food company sponsored the Olympics for 30 years, and has also sponsored FIFA since the World Cup in 1994. McDonald’s logo will be prominent in all ESL Meisterschaft tournaments in 2018 and has promised fan competitions at Gamescom Cologne.
Read the full article here.
Splyce and Boston Celtics partner as the esports org enters the NBA 2K League
Splyce has just announced that it will be partnering withCLTX Crossover Gaming, otherwise known as the esports division of the Boston Celtics NBA Franchise, to enter the upcoming NBA 2K League.
The announcement from Splyce explains that while the Celtics are well-versed in the sports industry, it’s still finding its stride when it comes to esports and gaming – that’s where the esports organisation comes in. Splyce, over the last few months, has been educating the Celtics and providing resources to its staff while they built and developed CLTX Crossover Gaming.
Jim Ferris has been hired to front the CLTX brand, and is working alongside Splyce to fully embrace the flourishing world of competitive gaming. The official announcement also revealed that Splyce has been studying the NBA 2K scene to properly support CLTX in the upcoming player draft. Not only that, the two companies will continue to work side by side throughout 2018, placing importance on establishing a brand – both for CLTX and its future players.
Read the full article here.