North American organisation Envy Gaming, the parent company of Team Envy, Overwatch League franchise Dallas Fuel, and Call of Duty League franchise Dallas Empire, has launched a membership programme called ‘EnvyUS‘.
The name plays homage to Envy’s original team, EnVyUs, originally founded in 2017. Members can sign up for a free Silver plan to receive exclusive content or the Gold plan for $29.95 (£22.70) per year. The Gold plan offers exclusive perks such as discounts, giveaways, access to the members-only Discord server, and ‘direct Team Envy access’.
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The EnvyUS membership club is in early development and will expand in the ‘coming months’ with feedback from founding members, according to the company. Fans can earn status, points, and unique rewards through participation and engagement in different membership club activities.
Envy Gaming Chief Gaming Officer Mike Rufail commented on the new programme in a release: “Our fans are at the center of everything we do. The fans are why we go out and compete for championships. Our fans have been passionate and loyal for over a decade, and have been asking for opportunities to be an even bigger part of what we do on a daily basis.
“Delivering on that is what the membership club is all about: we want to give people options to engage with players and teams in the digital age in ways that traditional sports or entertainers never have before, and we want to bring our fans along for the ride as we build out this platform.”
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Fan engagement through exclusive programmes, clubs, or apps is quickly growing as a trend among esports organisations. App provider Blocksport has partnered with several brands over the past year to create dedicated fan engagement apps for Android and iOS platforms. Recent partnerships include PENTA Sports, FURIA, Virtus.Pro, Nordavind, BIG, and Team Singularity.
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ReKTGlobal’s Rogue Nation, a subscription-based fan club for its Rogue organisation, was launched in partnership with Fullcube in July 2019. Among the perks is evaluation for Junior Rogue, a program that offers scholarships, weekly seminars, and organisational support to young Fortnite players.
Esports Insider says: In today’s world of digital consumption, fan engagement is the new currency. The esports industry has seen a boost in viewership due to COVID-19 lockdowns but lost significant revenue due to cancelled live events. Keeping fans engaged in-between tournaments, as well as creating a recurring stream of income means that esports organisations can still provide value to fans, investors, and sponsors alike.