Riot Games has named automobile manufacturer Honda as the exclusive automotive sponsor of its North American competition League of Legends Championship Series (LCS).
The deal will launch starting with the Summer Split Playoffs, which begin on August 10th. It will also be present at the Finals in Detroit on August 24-25th.
Honda will sponsor the League MVP award and the LCS Scouting Grounds, a tournament for up-and-coming League of Legends players. Custom content surrounding the league has been confirmed to be in the works.
Phil Hruska, Manager of Media Strategy at Honda commented on the decision: “Through this partnership with the LCS, Honda will continue to forge a strong connection with the next-generation of car buyers who happen to be fans of the incredible athletes of Team Liquid and the League of Legends Championship Series in North America. We understand the passion of esports fans and how strongly they support the gaming community, and Honda is fully vested in creating one-of-a-kind, unforgettable experiences for gamers as we launch the next phase of Honda’s endeavour in esports and gaming.”
Team Liquid, who is also sponsored by the automotive brand, will feature in content throughout the LCS broadcast. To start, there will be two new 15-second videos that call upon fans to “find their drive,” showcasing members of Team Liquid. The videos will also be featured across YouTube, Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Matthew Archambault, Head of Esports Partnerships and Business Development for North America at Riot Games added: “Honda is one of the most storied and trusted car manufacturers in the world, and we are proud to announce an exclusive partnership between the League of Legends Championship Series and an automotive brand of this caliber. Honda’s commitment to esports is clear from their history in the space, including their sponsorship of Team Liquid, and we’re excited to show LCS fans the new initiatives and content that we’ll be collaborating on, starting with the Summer Split Playoffs this weekend in our LA studio.”
Riot Games’ LCS has announced a number of new partnerships recently, including the likes of with social broadcasting platform Caffeine, Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans, and U.GG.
Esports Insider says: This is the second car-based esports sponsorship we have seen so far this week, following BLAST Pro Series and Toyota. It’s clear to see that automotive brands are keen on utilising the audience that comes with esports and we’re intrigued to see exactly how Honda is incorporated into the LCS broadcast.