The world of esports has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, attracting millions of audiences across the globe. What was once only a niche pastime for teen boys has transformed into a global sensation and a billion-dollar industry, rivaling even traditional sports.
At the core of this transformation lies a major growth-driving factor —sponsorships. Like traditional sports, sponsorships have always been a part of competitive video gaming. Many major companies and even small businesses have long been sponsoring esports leagues, tournaments, teams, and individual players/streamers. Seeing esports sponsorships’ immense potential, more major companies, rich individuals, and even celebrities are joining the game.
This article dives into the world of sponsorship in esports gaming, highlighting some of the biggest sponsors driving the growth of competitive video gaming.
Intel
The renowned computer and electronics giant Intel is one of the pioneers of sponsorship in the competitive video gaming ecosystem. One of the earliest significant moves that the company made was partnering with ESL Gaming GmbH (formerly known as Electronic Sports League) in 2001. This led to the sponsorship of the Intel Extreme Masters, the longest-running and one of the most prestigious global pro gaming tours in the world that started in 2006. The IEM has and continues to feature some of the world’s best gamers in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, StarCraft® II, and other esports titles.
Intel has also been involved in the sponsorships of several regional and global competitions of different esports events in League of Legends and Overwatch, as well as partnerships with top brands like Riot Games. The company is also among the first to provide funding and scholarships to high school and college esports student gamers.
Another thing that makes Intel a cut above the rest is that besides monetary sponsorships, the company has also invested significantly in providing cutting-edge hardware for esports competitions. This contributed immensely to the evolution we see today in the industry.
Esports Bookmakers
Since the esports market opened up in sports betting, bookmakers have been showing interest in competitive video gaming. Recognizing the growing appeal of the once niche pastime, many bookmakers have taken a more proactive stance to sponsoring esports events, just like in traditional sports.
The likes of Betway, Unibet, Pinnacle, and GG.BET is among the biggest sponsors of esports events, leagues, and teams. You will find plenty of esports areas that have these bookmakers as their main sponsors.
These brands also provide platforms for esports fans to enjoy their favorite pastime while adding extra excitement to the experience through betting. You can click here to find some of the most competitive odds for esports competitions and other favorite regular sports events.
Red Bull
The energy drink giant Red Bull is another competitive esports video gaming sponsorship pioneer. Long known for its support for sports, Red Bull found its way into esports sponsorship in 2006. Like Intel, Red Bull supports competitive video gaming beyond traditional advertising.
The company has and continues to sponsor several esports events, tournaments, and leagues in StarCraft 2, Dota 2, and other titles. Their portfolio also includes sponsorship of a range of different prominent esports teams like G2, OG, T1, Vodafone Giants, Tempo Storm, Cloud9, and others.
On top of that, Red Bull regularly organizes its own competitions in League of Legends, VALORANT, Tekken 8, and other esports titles, many of which have become prominent. Examples include the Red Bull Wololo, Red Bull Home Ground, Red Bull Solo Q, and many others.
Coca Cola
Another name on our list of the biggest esports sponsors is Coca-Cola, an American multinational company known as a global beverage giant. The company has long been a major sponsor of traditional sports and only found it natural to transition into esports, which started in 2013.
Coca-Cola has an extensive history of sponsoring several different leagues and competitions in esports, including the LoL World Championship, from 2013 to 2016. The company’s sponsorship and partnership portfolio includes e-NASCAR, Tespa, and others. In fact, back in 2019, Coca-Cola became the official non-alcoholic beverage sponsor of the entire competitive Overwatch ecosystem after signing a three-year agreement deal.
Besides the professional scene, Coca-Cola is also known for its support of the esports ecosystem as a whole, which is evident from its sponsorship of various community tournaments and fan events. The beverage giant has also been known to sponsor the Esports Awards, an annual ceremony that lauds excellence in competitive gaming.
Others
Besides the brands mentioned above, many other major businesses and companies have also entered the esports sponsorship scene over the years. A noteworthy mention is Samsung, the multinational appliance and electronic company, which has been an active esports sponsor since 2013. The company has sponsored many major esports events like Intel Extreme Masters, DreamHack, World Cyber Games, and others, as well as teams like SK Telecom T1, Fnatic, and Evil Geniuses.
Other notable major sponsors include:
- Microsoft
- Mercedes-Benz
- Mastercard
- Ally Financial
- Monster Energy
- Mountain Dew
Closing Thoughts
Sponsorship undeniably plays a major role in the growth and sustainability of the competitive esports industry. With brands like Intel, Red Bull, Coca-Cola, and others leading the way, many major and small businesses are seeing the immense potential of esports and joining the sponsorship game.
As the world of competitive esports gaming continues to evolve, so will its sponsorship scene. After all, these deals provide a win-win situation for the sponsors, esports leagues, teams, players, and even the audience.
