Multinational esports organisation Gen.G has announced an extension of its partnership with McDonald’s franchisees.
The partnership will see the fast food brand’s franchise employee-only esports competition, Crew League, renewed in Southern California, the Southern Plains and DMV regions, with an expansion into the Pacific Northwest.
The league forms part of McDonald’s’ goal to improve its employee experience. It claims the initiative is helping to recruit and retain team members through gaming.
The expansion of Crew League into a fourth US region capitalises on its success in pilot regions, also run by Gen.G, that saw hundreds of McDonald’s employees competing.
The Crew League isn’t the fast food chain’s only esports partnership in the last year. McDonald’s recently inked a deal with gaming tournament and training platform Nicecactus to run FIFA 22 tournaments, and it also has a partnership with FaZe to highlight diversity and inclusion within the gaming industry.
Crew League was first cooked up in 2021. Regional leagues begin with a vote by employees on the game they want to play, followed by a series of play-in games. The tournament culminates in a live playoff broadcast streamed on Gen.G’s Twitch channel, with prizes awarded to the top-performing individual players.
Winning team members can bag a plaque at their franchise location, and an exclusive belt. Other prizes include gaming consoles, Amazon gift cards, and T-shirts.
Arnold Hurr, CEO of Gen.G, said he was excited to continue to build communities around gaming, and continue the camaraderie witnessed at last year’s league.
“Owner/Operators in the active co-ops are proud to offer their employees a unique experience that lets restaurant employees know they are valued members of a larger community,” added Patricia Chambers, Ad Agency Partner for the participating regions.
“We are excited to continue our partnership with an organization as prestigious as Gen.G and look forward to once again crafting a great competitive experience for our valued crew members and managers.”
