Guangzhou Charge, the Overwatch League franchise owned by Nenking Group founder Zhong Naixiong, has partnered with Herbalife Nutrition.
The dietary supplement marketing corporation will serve as the primary sponsor of the team throughout the three-year agreement.
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While not a lot of information has been disclosed regarding the deal’s terms or financial details, it’s expected that Herbalife Nutrition will provide advice and support regarding health to Guangzhou Charge’s players.
Founded in Los Angeles, U.S., in 1980, Herbalife Nutrition has received plenty of criticism over the years. It has been accused of running a pyramid scheme and there have been reported cases of liver damage in multiple countries by users of its products.
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A tweet announcing the deal between Guangzhou Charge and Hurbalife Nutrition was met with mainly negative responses, with replies alleging that the company’s products have caused “serious health issues,” the company is a “pyramid scheme,” and one Twitter user simply said “I hope the org reconsiders this.”
Esports Insider says: While it’s likely a very tough time for many Overwatch and Call of Duty franchises due to COVID-19 restricting home series events, the response to this long-term deal is a reminder that teams need to be mindful of the companies they do business with. Of course, the partnership may stand and the Charge could still get paid, but it could well cause the team to lose plenty of fans in the process.