eSports remains one of the fastest-growing segments in the gaming industry. Its popularity has attracted numerous sponsors who partner with different teams. Among them are iGaming companies that enter into multimillion-dollar deals with varying teams of esports. This article looks at the most popular teams sponsored by the biggest iGaming companies.
Faze Clan
Faze Clan is a very well-known esports organization in the United States. It is known for its dominance in Fortnite, Call of Duty and CS: Go and has one of the largest social media followings of any esports team or organization. Its popularity also stems from the dynamic content it posts on various platforms and its strong connection with its fans. DraftKings realized this and decided to partner with the esports organization.
The deal is estimated to be worth over seven figures, with some requirements being that Faze Clan wear jerseys with the iGaming company’s logo in their tournaments. Draft King benefits from the huge exposure it gets when the team does so.
Ninjas in Pyjamas
Betway is one of the biggest bookmakers in the world, and Ninja in Pyjamas is a Swedish esports organization.
Before signing a sponsorship deal with Ninjas in Pyjamas, Betway was best known for its snooker and darts sponsorships. With the rise of the popularity of esports, the iGaming company saw an opportunity to reach a new demographic: younger fans interested in esports.
At the same time, around 2017, Ninjas in Pyjamas was rising the ranks as a relatively unknown but highly impressive esports team. Realizing the potential for a mutually beneficial partnership, the Swedish esports gaming organization signed a six-figure deal with Betway in 2017.
The esports organization received the funding it needed in exchange for entering a partnership with Betway for its outreach and marketing purposes. The iGaming company and bookmaker would receive exclusive content usage rights, on-shirt branding, and onsite branding of Ninjas in Pyjamas’ house. It would also have unlimited access to all players at any time.
Following a successful partnership, the esports organization and Betway signed a seven-figure deal extension in 2018.
Beastcoast
Beastcoast emerged as one of the best South American esports teams in 2020 at the height of the esports craze. With its rise to fame after winning the ESL One Los Angeles 2020 Online: South America and Realms Collide event, iGaming companies noticed its potential and flocked to sponsor it. The team eventually signed with Betway.
Nick Valencia, the team’s vice president of sales and partnership at the time, said their collaboration with the betting company would allow the organization to give fans more of the type of content they expected. Betway renewed its agreement with the esports team in early 2021 through 2022.
Beastcoast signed a partnership with 1XBET in August 2023 once its deal with Betway lapsed. Both parties said when signing that their collaboration would allow them to revolutionize how fans engaged with the team and the players they love. 1XBET’s spokesman, Alex Sommers, said the partnership would enable them to provide fans the best entertainment possible.
Talon Esports
Talon Esports is a SouthEast Asian esports team that has garnered much attention over the past few years. It is another esports organization sponsored by 1XBET, with the iGaming organization specifically supporting its Dota 2 team.
Even though the deal and sponsorship details remain undisclosed, 1XBET’s branding has already appeared on the team’s jerseys and social media pages.
Evil Genius’ Counter-strike Teams
Although traditional betting companies dominate esports team sponsorships, crypto iGaming platforms are also making their mark in the lucrative industry. A great example is the partnership between Evil Genius, a North American Sports organization, and Thunderpick, a crypto iGaming platform.
This partnership stands out because it shows crypto organizations are still in a strong position despite the crypto winter of 2022. The two organisations signed a multi-year partnership in May 2023, with the iGaming company sponsoring Evil Genius’ three Counter-Strike teams.
Thunderpick said it will use activations such as watch parties, giveaways, and branded tournaments to support the three female teams and all women in gaming. There is also speculation that Thunderpick hopes to attract more members of the Counter-strike community to its betting platform.
iGaming company sponsorships are a lucrative option for esports teams that need funding and support. They also benefit the iGaming companies due to the exposure and access to new demographics they get through these arrangements. It is, therefore, expected that the biggest teams and organizations would collaborate to benefit from what the other offers in such partnerships.