German esports organisation FOKUS CLAN has announced telecommunication company 1&1 as its new main partner.
As a result of the deal, the company will receive various placements on FOKUS’ physical and digital assets. This is 1&1’s first partnership with an esports stakeholder.
1&1’s logo will be featured on the chest of all FOKUS esports jerseys. Moreover, branding will be visible across the organisation’s live-streaming content.
According to a release, 1&1 is aiming to use the partnership to increase its reach among esports’ young and tech-savvy audience. Meanwhile, FOKUS aims to leverage 1&1’s technological competence and understanding to bolster the needs of its athletes.
Founded in 2018, FOKUS CLAN is a German esports organisation with rosters in FIFA, Fortnite, and VALORANT. The company also harbours numerous content creators contributing to over 13m followers across social media. FOKUS’s partners include crisp brand funny-frisch, insurance company Zurich, and audio solutions series JBL Quantum.
In 2021, popular German streamer and former FIFA professional player, Elias ‘EliasN97’ Erlich, joined FOKUS as a co-owner.
1&1 is a telecommunications company founded in 1988. The organisation specialises in internet and ethernet solutions for the German B2C and B2B market, such as mobile data and internet domains.
The partnership between FOKUS and 1&1 is not the only significant development in the German esports ecosystem this year. In May, esports organisation Berlin International Gaming announced a German CS:GO tournament with Subway. Additionally, the German Games Industry Association (GAME) published a report outlining infrastructures it believes to be crucial to make the country a premier esports location.
In 2023, tournament organiser ESL extended its partnership with audio streaming service Spotify, with a focus on German audiences. However, later on in the year, it was announced that long-running regional Counter-Strike tournament ESL Meisterschaft will be discontinued.
