Each month, sports digital agency Mailman shares the biggest esports stories and insights from China’s esports scene, along with expert analysis on why they matter.
Last month, the most significant developments in China’s esports industry revolved around League of Legends, and the government itself.
Two popular League of Legends Pro League (LPL) teams announced new partnerships, including a world-renowned title vehicle sponsorship. Meanwhile, Tencent also announced its annual Global Esports Summit for July in Hangzhou, marking a month full of positive news.
FAW-Audi Title Sponsors Weibo Gaming
On June 8th, the Chinese LPL team Weibo Gaming (WBG) signed a title sponsorship deal with automobile brand FAW-Audi, and rebranded to WBG FAW-Audi. The team also placed Audi’s four rings logo on the left chest of the team jersey.
Audi is a household name in China, and it has sponsored two teams in the LPL: WBG and TOP Esports (TES). Audi also upgraded its sponsorship level with WBG by renaming the team, indicating it sees significant marketing potential in LPL fans and Chinese esports.
The sponsorship also marks the seventh team with an automotive sponsor in the LPL ecosystem. We expect to see more brands jump into the LPL and generate more content before the League of Legends World Championship this year.
China Esports Working Council Established
On June 17th, the China Audio-visual and Digital Publishing Association (CADPA), part of the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party, announced the establishment of the Chinese Esports Working Council.
Council members include major game publishers, tournament organisers, teams and live streaming platforms, including Tencent, NetEase, Ubisoft, Sony Entertainment, VSPN, TJ Sports, Huya, Douyu, Bilibili, and Edward Gaming (EDG).
This is a milestone moment for China’s esports industry. Different esports segments will work together and expand esports to a popular sport under the supervision of a state-owned organisation.
Tencent to host Global Esports Summit in Hangzhou
On June 29th, Tencent announced its plans for its annual Tencent Global Esports Summit, which will take place at the Hangzhou International Expo Center from July 26th-27th. The summit will be held in conjunction with the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) and the Chinese Esports Working Council, with the theme “Burst in Asia.”
Despite the Hangzhou Asian Games being postponed due to the pandemic, the Tencent Esports Global Summit in Hangzhou will be a critical event in China’s esports landscape for 2022.
Edward Gaming renews sponsorship deal with Bixin, Snow Beer sponsors PSG.LGD
On June 21st, Chinese esports organisation Edward Gaming (EDG) renewed its sponsorship deal with Chinese gaming social media company Bixin.
The deal will focus on improving the engagement between fans and EDG star players. In addition, Chinese beer brand Snow also signed a sponsorship deal with the Chinese Dota 2 team Paris Saint-Germain (PSG.LGD).
Both teams (EDG and PSG.LGD) have the best commercial value in China’s League of Legends and Dota 2 scenes. PSG.LGD has all but confirmed that it has qualified for Dota 2’s The International (TI) Singapore this October. The extended schedule of TI will also improve exposure for team sponsors and brands. We expected to see more brands sponsor Dota 2 teams before the TI.
Mailman is a leading sports digital agency in China. It helps sports organisations & brands to build sustainable businesses in China, one of the world’s most challenging markets. Mailman is an Endeavor China company.