North American esports organisation Cloud9 is the first team to receive sponsorship from telecommunications company AT&T.
The aim of the deal for AT&T is to “grow its relationships with new and existing customers” through an increased presence in esports.
Excited to give our fans more! Please welcome @ATT as the newest addition to the #C9FAM! pic.twitter.com/gDg9nLwPni
— Cloud9 (@Cloud9) March 5, 2019
As a result of the deal, Cloud9 will work on a weekly series entitled ‘The Nines’, in which AT&T will act as the presenting sponsor. The show will provide team highlights, player profiles, insight into tournaments, and other news relevant to the organisation and its partners.
Jack Etienne, CEO & Owner of Cloud9 discussed the partnership: “Teaming up with a company like AT&T, who has always prided itself on being ahead of the curve, is a tremendous moment for the whole C9 organization. With what AT&T is bringing us, we’re going to be able to bring the fans so much more – more content, more access, more memes, and more championships. I can’t wait to see the incredible things we’ll do together.”
Cloud9 will have the opportunity to integrate with AT&T’s sponsorship portfolio to present itself to new audiences both inside and outside of the esports industry. The telecommunications giant is also involved with the NBA 2K League and ESL, and it joined the Pennsylvania Esports Coalition late in 2018.
Shiz Suzuki, AVP of Sponsorships & Experiential Marketing at AT&T also touched on the deal: “We’re thrilled that Cloud9 has chosen to work with us to connect its fans to more of the moments they love, whether that’s at an event, at home, or on the go. Our sponsorship investments put our brand at the convergence of entertainment, technology and lifestyles. Cloud9 is thriving at that intersection, and we look forward to learning and growing with them.”
The organisation is also partnered with Red Bull, OMEN by HP, HyperX, U.S. Air Force, Secretlab, and Twitch. At the top of the year, its LCS team announced Puma as its official apparel partner for the 2019 Spring Split.
Esports Insider says: AT&T is clearly looking to expand its footprint in esports and working with Cloud9 is certainly one way of doing just that. The organisation is in a plethora of titles – including the two franchised leagues in LCS and Overwatch League – so there are plenty of opportunities for the weekly series to garner some real interest.