The European branch of South Korean car maker Kia will continue as an Official Main Partner of the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) for three more years.
As a result of the deal, Kia’s brand will gain visibility during LEC countdowns and breaks throughout the broadcast.
The company’s branding will also be featured across various LEC awards such as, Player of the Game, All-Pro Team and the 2024 Season MVP. Additionally, Kai will be one of the presenting partners of the trophy ceremony at the end of the 2024 LEC Season Finals.
The partnership renewal continues to show Kia’s commitment to esports, as the company has sponsored the league for the past five years. The car brand was involved in creative moments such as the LEC Anthem ‘I want the LEC back!‘ and the league’s weekly Mic Check series.
Europe is also not the only region the carmaker has targetted. In 2023, Kia expanded to other regions through partnerships with esports organisations like NRG Esports, Cloud9 and Dplus Kia. Yesterday, the American branch of the company became a sponsor of the League Championship Series (LCS), League of Legends’ North American competition.
Kia joins Nestlé-owned chocolate brand KitKat as another partner for the LEC for the next few years. The move also follows an announcement by Riot Games last year to increase the minimum age to play in the league from 17 to 18. According to a release, this is to ‘enable teams and the LEC to explore additional revenue opportunities.
David Hilbert, Marketing Director at Kia Europe, commented: “We are excited to continue being involved in the League of Legends EMEA Championship, the competitive gaming league that sets the benchmark for esports.
“We look forward to offering more unique experiences to League of Legends fans in the years ahead.”
The 2024 LEC Season officially kicks off on January 13th at the new Riot Games Arena in Berlin, Germany.
