PlayVS has announced a partnership with American clothing manufacturer Champion.
As part of the deal, Champion will become the primary jersey provider for the 2018-2019 school year.
PlayVS is gearing up to launch Season Zero of its initiative to bring esports competitions to schools across the United States. It will commence on October 30th, with a total of 12 matches taking place before the season wraps up on December 18th. League of Legends is the official game of the upcoming season.
Delane Parnell, CEO and Founder of PlayVS discussed the partnership in a statement: “PlayVS could not be more excited to partner with Champion, one of the premier athletic apparel companies in the world. It’s impossible to overstate the symbolic importance of jerseys for Season Zero and beyond. When students put on their Champion jerseys for the first time, they’ll feel like part of something larger than themselves, they’ll feel like part of a team. That’s what PlayVS and high school esports are all about.”
Champion entered the esports industry when it signed a multi-year deal with international organisation Team Dignitas in September of this year. As part of the partnership, Champion became the official jersey, casual wear, and athletic wear provider for Dignitas’ competitors.
Tyler Lewison, General Manager of Champion Teamwear also commented: “Champion is ecstatic to join PlayVS’ ‘Season Zero’ and Inaugural Season as the official team apparel partner – a first for esports in the high school realm. The fact that the NFHS was forward thinking in partnering with PlayVS to bring gaming to high schools across the country was a driving factor to all work together. Champion is proud to be a part of this monumental experience which not only demonstrates the popularity and rapid growth of gaming but the necessity for implementing this form of competition in schools.”
PlayVS is sanctioned and an exclusive partner of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), a governing body that states the regulations used by states.
Mark Koski, CEO of NFHS Network added: “The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the NFHS Network are proud to bring two of our amazing partners, Champion and PlayVS, together to provide gear to high school esports teams and fans. It is important to us that students, staff and the community feel they can represent their team in a way that showcases their excitement for esports, which is only amplified by team jerseys.”
Esports Insider says: PlayVS is working to hard to build a functioning infrastructure for highschools stateside, so it’s good to see a company such as Champion supporting the initiative. Jerseys may seem like a small deal, but they help to bridge the gap of perception between traditional sports and esports.