Category: Esports

Brand Super Bowl playbook: Scenario planning for everything Taylor Swift | PR Week

Posted on by KemperLesnik

Audrey Wayne, Senior Account Director for KemperLesnik, explained to PRWeek why she thinks brands will have more fun in 2024.

Marketers are ready to pounce on the biggest topic of Super Bowl LVIII. Bet that at least one of them will fumble.

by Chris Daniels February 08, 2024

Sportsbooks are giving the San Francisco 49ers the edge to win Super Bowl LVIII, but there’s no shortage of off-field wagers. Will Taylor Swift make it to the game? If so, what shade of lipstick will she wear? And will the pop megastar be shown on the CBS broadcast sporting a foam finger?

And then there are commercials and social media conversations.

PRWeek interviewed sports comms experts, many of them on-the-ground in Las Vegas to support client programs, to get their best bets on what to expect Sunday.

First, get ready for fun to make a comeback in a big way. Audrey Wayne, senior account director at KemperLesnik who leads the firm’s sports, recreation and hospitality practice, wagers we’ll see “a lot of brands have more fun this year.”

“We’re four years from the onset of COVID. Elmo has proven we’re all struggling but doing it with millennial dark humor. And with more millennials in management roles, I suspect you’ll see more of that tone of voice,” she says.

The looming U.S. presidential election is another reason brands will take a light and humorous tone.

“I’m predicting brands letting their whimsical, creative flags fly before the winds change toward more serious notes in the fall,” says Wayne.

Many experts say you can’t overestimate just how much this will be the Taylor Swift Super Bowl. Shaun Clair, cofounder of Gray Wolf, says the record Grammy Award winner, and girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, could create a “a mono-trend Super Bowl versus a multi-trend Super Bowl.”

“Brand marketers will be chasing engagement with their social media posts. And where is the engagement? Taylor Swift,” he says.

Clair cites a study from Montclair State University’s School of Communication and Media that shows Swift is set to “overwhelm online discussion around the big game.” It found that when the Chiefs and 49ers advanced to the Super Bowl, Swift-related #SuperBowl posts on X outnumbered those about Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, 49ers signal caller Brock Purdy and Kelce combined.

Social mentions of the pop icon and the Super Bowl hit 2 million in the week after the Chiefs advanced to the big game. The conversation thread, “Taylor as a national treasure,” also increased 100%.

Michael Schiferl, Weber Shandwick’s EVP for integrated media strategy, predicts this could be the first year that conversation on Super Bowl Sunday isn’t driven “by the game itself, halftime acts and the ads, in that order.”

“Love her or hate her, Taylor Swift may upend those three categories,” he says.

Speaking from the Super Bowl media center at Mandalay Bay Resort, where he is supporting client Super Bowl ads like the Doritos Dinamita spot with Wednesday actress Jenna Ortega, Patrick Wixted, SVP and client services director at Ketchum Sports, agrees that Swift will be a massive topic on social media.

“Brands intent on being part of the game-day conversation should absolutely scenario plan around Taylor topics the same way they plan for in-game happenings and audience reactions to game-day commercials,” he says. “Brands that have historically not seen a role for themselves on game day may find it advantageous to be part of the conversation.”

Wixted is betting at least one brand will fumble the ball.

“Someone’s going to try too hard and fall flat or get called out for it,” he says. His advice for brands to avoid potential “Bad Blood” from her rabid fan base? “It’s got to feel right for the brand, like a no-brainer. If you have to put a lot of effort around it, it’s probably too much.”

Wixted also predicts a brand will score by using the MSG Sphere.

“A lot of brands are already running ads on the exterior, but I think we’ll see a brand use the Sphere on game day in a way we haven’t seen before,” he says, adding it could be in conjunction with AR or mixed reality. “The Sphere really is a marvel of technology and everything marketers dream about.”

Chris Console, EVP and North America Sports Lead at BCW, says it’s a good bet that Swift will be the biggest trending topic from the game. However, he isn’t counting out challengers for share of conversation.

“I predict that there will be something else that drives conversations even more after the game,” says Console. “This feels like a year where a brand that doesn’t have a commercial airing during the Super Bowl pulls an upset by scoring the most media conversations and social chatter following the game.”

“That said,” he counters, “the intersection of sports and pop culture is reigning supreme.”

And, of course, what happens in Vegas, won’t stay in Vegas. Good strategy could set brands up for next football season, evan as far as Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, says Michael Jacobson, SVP at R&CPMK, who leads the agency’s talent and influencer group and builds programs for major sports and entertainment moments.

“The halo that we typically see post-Super Bowl will have more of an impact at the start of the next NFL season because of all the storylines that led up to this moment in time more than any prior Super Bowl,” he says. “I think when we get to the fall, we’ll see more engagement from different audiences and greater overall engagement and fandom.”

https://www.prweek.com/article/1860848/brand-super-bowl-playbook-scenario-planning-everything-taylor-swift

But is X still the place to be during the Super Bowl? | PR Week

Posted on by KemperLesnik

KemperLesnik’s senior account director, Audrey Wayne, talked to PRWeek about the role of X during Super Bowl week.

 

It depends. Are users watching the game for the game? Or for something — or someone — else?

by Chris Daniels February 08, 2024

Audrey Wayne, a senior account director at KemperLesnik who leads the firm’s sports, recreation and hospitality practice, says X needs to stay in Super Bowl Sunday brand playbooks.

“Until the other platforms can do real-time, X is inevitable for live sports,” she says.

But that doesn’t mean they haven’t shifted some budget to other platforms.

“People do like time to digest, so deep dives will do well on Instagram and TikTok,” says Wayne, who also expects some brand activity on Threads, Meta’s version of X.

However, at 10.3 million daily active users, Threads has a long way to go to catch X’s 253 million DAUs. “Threads will do its best and it’s important to be there, but don’t expect too many needle-movers to come from it this year. If they do it well, they can make it a must for 2025,” she says.

“Twitter has historically been the place audiences and brands turn for engagement around real-time events like the Super Bowl,” says Erin Ledbetter, EVP and head of digital at Ketchum. “But the conversation leading up the game so far suggests this year will look very different,” citing research of year-over-year drops in pre-Super Bowl conversations on X.

“That’s just one more sign that the platform is losing relevance and has failed to become the global town square that Musk promised,” notes Ledbetter. “We’ve seen the early Super Bowl conversation from brands and users alike shift to TikTok and Instagram, but it will be interesting to see what happens on game day. Where will users turn for real-time conversation about the game, the ads and Taylor?”

Taylor Swift, who is dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, is the wild card.

“I think we’re going see more fulfillment of omni-channel than we ever have, because of the growth of a secondary audience for the Super Bowl [who have become fans and followers because of Swift],” says Michael Jacobson, SVP at R&CPMK, who leads the agency’s talent and influencer group.

Her fans, after all, use several apps and many are not X users.

“Twitter is still going to be a huge part of Sunday’s dialogue, and brands need to be part of that dialogue, but I think the conversation is going to be across all social media,” says Jacobson.

“Don’t underestimate the cross-platform opportunities that exist for audiences of all ages that are seeking Super Bowl-related brand content, including during the game itself,” agrees Chris Console, EVP and North America sports lead at BCW. “Brands must meet their consumers where they are, which is no longer in one single place.”

“Instagram doesn’t feed that real-time itch like the others,” says Shaun Clair, cofounder of Gray Wolf, “but provides a slower-moving but more consistent content funnel in the days and hours that lead up to the game.”

But if they had to pick one platform, some say TikTok will rise to the top.

“TikTok is arguably the best in-game and postgame medium,” says Greg Tedesco, U.S. head of digital at Zeno Group. “TikTok has become a force with its algorithm and capability as a search engine. Users will search for reaction to their favorite commercials in real-time, rewatch Usher’s half time performance and dig into on-the-field and in-the-stands happenings [such as Taylor Swift].”

As well, he notes the NFL and its teams “have leaned into creating content native to TikTok, incorporating in-app trends and sounds to reach new and existing audiences.” That means “brands don’t necessarily need to create original TikToks to be a part of the conversation as they can simply stitch, repost or comment to get users and creators engaged,” explains Tedesco.

“TikTok will be a major player for brands and creators during the game, and I think we’ll see a combination of live activations, agile content and proactive brand banter taking place more than usual in the comments sections of trending videos,” says Eric Petersen, SVP and North America social strategy lead at Weber Shandwick.

“However, X will continue to dominate sports-related conversation, which will lend itself as a platform that brands will use to mine for real-time reactive opportunities,” says Petersen. “We’ll also likely see brands who have left X over the past year place healthy bets on Meta’s Threads to complement their real-time Instagram strategies and will tap platforms like Snap and its creative AR filter and lens products to capture younger audiences’ attention.”

“X is for the specific moments that happen—a controversial penalty flag or an injury update, for example,” agrees Clair. “TikTok will be a main platform for brands. It will capture—and help amplify—the big themes and moments.”

This story was updated on February 8 to correct Petersen’s title. 

https://www.prweek.com/article/1860853/x-place-during-super-bowl

Apparel Collaborations in the Gaming Industry

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As esports continues to become a larger part of modern-day culture, brands are quickly establishing a presence in the space to connect with younger consumers and capitalize off of the sport’s passionate audiences. One industry embracing gaming culture head-on is clothing and apparel, which has already seen numerous collaborations within esports, including partnerships with both creators and professional gaming organizations.

Here are some of the most notable and innovative collaborations from across the industry:

Adidas X Ninja

Professional gamer and streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins announced a multi-year partnership with Adidas in 2019. The agreement included collaborations on products in “either the physical or the virtual world.” The first product to be released as part of the partnership was the Ninja Nite Jogger sneaker, which featured the phrase ‘Time In’ on the side of the shoe and Ninja detailing and branding throughout the product. The deal was the first partnership with a professional gamer for Adidas.

Louis Vuitton X League of Legends

Louis Vuitton x League of Legends

In 2020, Louis Vuitton teamed up with League of Legends to produce one of the most unique (and expensive) gaming/clothing collaborations we have ever seen. Branded LVxLOL, it includes an eye-popping $5,600 leather jacket and $6,020 athletic outfit. In total, the collection comprises over 40 items, the cheapest being a $170 bandeau. 

These two companies have worked together in the past, with Louis Vuitton-designed skins available for purchase in the League of Legends player store (don’t worry these only go for around $10). 

With big-time luxury brands entering the esports fashion space, we are sure to see some more fascinating crossovers in the coming years. 

Gucci X 100 Thieves

Gucci x 100 Thieves

Los Angeles-based gaming organization 100 Thieves launched a clothing collaboration with luxury fashion company Gucci that “draws on the shared values of freedom and self-expression.” The first item launched out of this collaboration was the “Off the Grid” luxury backpack, which features a red color scheme and the 100 Thieves and Gucci logos plastered across the back. Only 200 pieces were made available for purchase by consumers. The bag carries a retail price of $2,400.

Nike X Team Spirit

Team Spirit, a Moscow-based Dota 2 and Counter-Strike esports team, has joined forces with Nike to create a clothing line called “Spirited.” Offerings will include “activewear, shirts, and a custom pair of Nike kicks.”

The recent announcement comes off a wave of Team Spirit success, with the group’s Dota team qualifying for the $40 million The International tournament and the CS: GO squad claiming an $80,000 dollar prize at Pinnacle Cup 2. 

Armani Exchange X Mkers

Fashion icon Armani joined forces with fellow Italian company Mkers esports in 2019 to become the team’s official jersey patron. The venture marked Armani’s first journey into the esports space. 

The collaboration was spearheaded by Armani Exchange, a sub-brand launched in 1991 with the goal of making Armani clothing accessible to a wider audience. 

Champion X OpTic Gaming

Back in 2019, clothing manufacturer Champion and North American esports organization OpTic Gaming developed apparel together. Supporters had the opportunity to purchase co-branded hoodies, t-shirts, jerseys, and long-sleeve t-shirts from select Champion retail stores and websites. 

This partnership continues to emphasize the narrative of esports entering into mainstream pop culture. Champion is tapping into the passionate fan base of OpTic Gaming with creative and exciting clothing options. 

FILA X Counter Logic Gaming

Sportswear brand FILA became the official apparel partner for North American esports organization Counter Logic Gaming’s Fortnite team back in 2019. To help honor this partnership, players of the Fortnite team wore FILA branded apparel during the World Cup Finals. In addition, FILA received promotion from the team roster through social media and Twitch streams. 

This partnership marked the first experience FILA has had in the esports industry. In particular, FILA looked to connect with a diverse fan base through large esports events such as the Fortnite World Cup. 

H&M Netherlands X Edivisie

H&M Esports Collaboration

In November of 2020, retailer H&M Netherlands became the official partner of the edivisie, which is a FIFA competition coordinated by Dreamhack Sports Games and Eredivisie. In this partnership, H&M was incorporated into the production of edivisie gameplay and interview segments. The brand will also be integrated into content segments that demonstrate ways to improve in the game. Dreamhack Sports Games, which is one of the partners of the deal, helps in the operations of esports games that reflect traditional sports played. 

Puma X Gen.G

Puma x Gen.G Collaboration

Gaming organization Gen.G and Puma first teamed up in June 2020 to create the team’s PUBG and League of Legends jerseys in South Korea. The partnership was recently expanded as Puma was named the official global jersey and apparel provider of all Gen.G’s professional teams and creators.

Puma is also a partner of the Gen.G Foundation, which focuses on supporting women, minorities, and low-income students who are interested in a career in esports, gaming, entrepreneurship, journalism, and content creation.

The Ongoing Expansion of Esports Arenas

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As esports continues to expand across the nation and globe, demand for live competition and access to physical proving grounds is rising. All across America, new venues are popping up at a startling rate, allowing existing gamers to flex their muscles while extending the benefits of esports to the uninitiated in small towns and big cities from California to Maine. Esports arenas provide both big business and valuable educational opportunities for their surrounding communities, and these five recent developments are looking to cash in on the industry’s ever-increasing relevance. 

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, Illinois will have its first large-scale esports arena when Surge, a $30 million, 108,000-square-foot video gaming stadium with capacity for 1,040 spectators, opens in the Near South Side Bronzeville neighborhood. 

Politicians hope that the facility, created by Smash Interactive, can push tourism further south and cultivate a safe space away from gun violence and crime. The venue will host ticketed esports events along with offering public access to recreational leagues and rented event space. 

In addition, Smash Interactive is joining forces with the nearby Illinois Institute of Technology to create the Bronzeville Esports League and expose local middle and high school students to the growing industry.

One of the biggest concerns regarding the project? There may not be enough parking space to accommodate the expected crowds. 

University of Texas

The University of Texas Longhorn Gaming team is pushing for the construction of a new esports arena on campus to cater to both competitive and casual gamers. The team has been around for 11 years and just recently became a sponsored organization at the University. Now, the goal is to repurpose 3,100-3,500 square feet of the Union Underground to hold 24 to 30 gaming stations and room for fans to watch. 

UT does not yet offer esports scholarships, but the construction of a dedicated gaming arena could shift the school’s attention towards the growing industry. With fingers crossed that this project could be completed by the end of the year, fans may soon be packing into the arena and cheering on their digital Longhorns. 

Sterling Heights, Michigan

In the Detroit suburb of Sterling Heights, Michigan, the announcement of an esports arena in the new community center has been met with significant enthusiasm. 

With the support of a recent $25,000 donation from the Christian Financial Credit Union, the arena will be outfitted with technology supporting a wide variety of video game formats. Taking over 400 square feet of the existing 1,900 square foot “Teen Room”, the venue will be outfitted with furniture and 12 computers. 

“It’s important for parks and recreation departments to understand what trends are going on in the industry,” Sterling Heights Parks and Recreation Director Kyle Langlois said. “Parks and Rec often gets caught up on the physical fitness side, which is very important. But there is a whole demographic of kids who don’t play sports and have no interest in playing sports.”

The arena is expected to open after Labor Day Weekend. 

Houston, Texas

Belong Gaming Arenas, a subsidiary of esports infrastructure platform Vindex, is nearly finished with construction on its first U.S. gaming center, which is located in Houston. 

Vindex has ambitious plans in the U.S., dedicating $300 million to open gaming centers where gamers can hang out and attend events featuring esports stars. The centers will be integrated both physically and digitally to accommodate a variety of gaming appetites, from casual players to aspiring professionals. Belong will equip the arenas with top-of-the-line products through national partnerships with PlayStation, Omen by HP, Viewsonic, Mavix, and other premier gaming companies.

The United Kingdom-based Belong Gaming Arenas has already opened 25 locations in the U.K., with venues in Dallas, Columbus, Chicago, and Nashville to follow throughout the summer. In total, the company plans to establish 500 gaming centers in the U.S. over the next five years.

Kansas City, Missouri

The LEVELUP esports arena in Kansas City offers up a 15,000 square foot facility equipped with 100 gaming computers and consoles. The location first opened in April but is only now able to fulfill its promise with 100% capacity. 

LEVELUP’s tremendous size makes it the third-largest esports arena in the nation, and it stands out from the pack by offering a dedicated education program. A key focus of the space will be educating K-12 students on the potential benefits and careers within esports, whether that be a League of Legends college scholarship or a job as a professional Fortnite streamer. 

The location plans to offer a wide variety of titles to play, catering to both hardcore and casual gamers. With an attached bar, music venue, and restaurant, LEVELUP truly is the place to be for gamers in the City of Fountains. 

Esports Explained: Halo

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This week, Halo, Microsoft’s flagship first-person shooter, finally emerged from six years of relative slumber.

After dominating the gaming world and helping to spur the first wave of major esports from the early 2000s into the 2010s, original series creator Bungie walked away from their baby to develop a new series (now known to the world as Destiny). 

This move left Microsoft’s golden goose without a home. To solve this problem, they created 343 Industries, a developer solely dedicated to making future Halo games. The company released a 4th (in 2012) and 5th (in 2015) installment in the series which were met with a relative “meh” by the gaming community. Their new features were bashed as chasing trends and straying from the roots of what made Halo such a unique shooter experience.

While a dedicated esports base remains, most streamers, competitive gamers, and influencers moved on to more popular and groundbreaking titles. Halo became a game of the past which was often reflected on with nostalgia but rarely played. 

In 2014, 343 Industries tried to capture community goodwill by re-mastering and re-releasing all the beloved Halo games in a single package known as the Master Chief Collection. This solid idea backfired when the game was rendered fundamentally unplayable for years after launch due to extreme server issues. While the title eventually found its footing and began to excel as the premier modern Halo experience, it was too little too late for thousands of fans who had moved on to other titles. 

343 Industries took quite a gap to recollect themselves between Halo 5 and their next title Halo Infinite (including a full-year development delay), but this past weekend they finally showed what many have been waiting years to see, true next-gen Halo multiplayer gameplay. 

To fully comprehend why these trailers excited so many, you have to understand what originally made Halo such a worldwide phenomenon. Gamers fell in love with ranked multiplayer in an arena shooter based on the tenets of equal starts off the spawn, power weapon/equipment scavenging, map control, and a relatively long time to kill when compared with other shooters. These factors ensure a large skill gap and competitive atmosphere that match perfectly with esports opportunities. 

Halo and Major League Gaming (MLG) were inseparable for much of the 2000s. Halo 3 competitive highlight reels were popping up on the Sportscenter Top 10 and guys like Ninja (yes, that Ninja), Snipedown, Walshy, and Pistola were making household names for themselves while bringing in significant money at a time when esports was not as understood or embraced in American society. 

So when 343 Industries (and to be fair Bungie with Halo: Reach) moved toward created classes, advanced movement mechanics, and equipment access upon spawning, many gamers felt that the series they loved was no longer recognizable. 

This week’s multiplayer announcement has rejuvenated hope in a massive fanbase that has laid dormant for close to a decade now. With a seemingly tighter focus on even starts, arena-style play, cross-platform play with PC, and cosmetic-only upgrades, Halo Infinite is impressing many across the industry. Plus, a free-to-play multiplayer model will introduce waves of gaming fans to Halo on launch day. 

With Halo Infinite reportedly going all-in on esports, could we see a return of this series to its former overall and competitive relevance on the gaming scene? Only time will tell for sure, but the hype is building for Halo to be a major disruptor in the esports space when Infinite launches in 2021. 

In the 2000s, the term “Halo Killer” was reserved for titles looking to take down the industry titan. If Halo can flip the script and dethrone today’s top titles, it’ll be a gaming comeback for the ages. 

Five Esports Events To Watch This Summer

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Despite seeing record-breaking numbers for both streaming and participation, 2020 was a year filled with event cancellations throughout the esports industry. As we look forward, 2021 appears to be an action-filled year as the majority of tournaments and conferences return to their normal schedule, even if some may look different than they did in the past. Here are five events every esports fanatic should be looking forward to this summer:

FIFA eWorld Cup (August 6-9) 

After being canceled last year due to COVID, the FIFA eWorld Cup is finally back in 2021. Boasting a $500,000 prize pool, global competition, and an in-person event experience in London, this tournament is guaranteed to offer the best talent pool imaginable. 

Interestingly, a cross-platform format will be used with matchups taking place in a two-game contest split between Xbox and Playstation. This extra challenge means the eventual champion will have to dominate the pitch no matter the console. 

In a similar fashion to the soccer World Cup, the initial competition centers around a group stage where the top four teams advance into a single-elimination knockout stage. 

IEM Cologne 2021, formerly ESL One Cologne (July 6-18)

This July, 24 teams from across the world will battle it out (without a live audience) in a CS:GO LAN event for their shot at a total prize pool of $1 million. 

The famed “Cathedral of Counterstrike” will lose some of its magic without a sold-out crowd, but the strict regional regular season seeding process ensures that all the talent in Cologne will be top tier. 

Counterstrike, an FPS game known for its need for strategy and precision, makes for the perfect esports viewing experience. Whichever team takes home the crown will be more than deserving of their share of the pot. 

E3 (June 12-15)

While the gaming industry’s biggest yearly convention doesn’t center around esports, the titles shown here are sure to shape the future of competitive gaming for years to come.

Xbox is rumored to be finally showing off Halo: Infinite’s multiplayer, with fans curious to see if the iconic franchise can regain the esports relevance it once held in the mid to late 2000s and early 2010s.

In addition, titles like Battlefield 6, Rainbow Six Quarantine, and The Elder Scrolls 6 (ok, it’s not an esports game but we’re still excited about it) are sure to make an appearance. Plus, E3 offers the perfect platform for an unexpected announcement that blows everyone in the gaming community away. Who knows what this year’s show will bring? 

Dota 2’s The International 2021

The International, Dota 2’s annual championship, is one of the biggest esports tournaments in the world. After taking a one-year hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic, the event is set to return this summer. This year’s championship will take place in Stockholm, Sweden, with the group stage starting on August 5th and the final match set for August 15. 

It’s not clear yet whether fans will be in attendance for The International, but the event is guaranteed to draw one of the year’s largest streaming audiences. This year’s tournament will feature a prize pool of $40 million, which will set a record for the largest overall prize pool at an esports event. The previous record was held by The International 2019, which featured a prize pool of just over $34 million.

EVO Champions 2021

EVO, also known as the Evolution Championship Series, is the largest and longest-running fighting game tournament in the world. The event features competitions in several fighting games. This year’s event will see gamers compete in Tekken 7, Street Fighter V, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, and Guilty Gear Strive.

The annual EVO tournament is traditionally hosted in Las Vegas. After EVO 2020 was canceled and subsequently acquired by Sony, organizers decided to move the tournament to an online-only capacity. EVO 2021 will take place between August 6-8 and August 13-15.

Six Games Leading the Growth of Mobile Esports

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In mobile esports, players use a mobile device like a tablet or a phone instead of a console or PC. This style of gaming increases player base access across the globe, and recent technological advancements, such as the proliferation of 5G internet, have made gaming on a handheld device a legitimate option for esports players and fans. For example, the ESL recently announced a mobile league covering North America, Europe/MENA, and Asia-Pacific. In China, mobile gaming makes up over half of all esports in the country. 

To stay up to date with all of our esports content and news, click here to subscribe to our Esports Newsletter.

As this wave of growth sweeps across the gaming landscape, mobile publishers are investing more time, money, and energy into making sure their games have the healthy esports ecosystems required to drive continued interest and revenue long after an initial release date. So, which titles stand above the rest and appear poised to dominate esports in the near future? 

PUBG Mobile is the mobile version of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, the popular online multiplayer game that was the first to introduce players to the battle royale format back in 2016. Despite heavy competition and many newcomers in the space, PUBG Mobile remains the most popular mobile battle royale. Available on Android and iOS, PUBG Mobile has been downloaded over 730 million times. PUBG Mobile was one of the highest-grossing games in 2020, generating more than $2.6 billion in revenue. At its peak, the game was bringing in more than $270 million per month.

The game’s tournaments boast considerable amounts of prize money, with more than $14 million up for grabs in PUBG Mobile tournaments this year. Competitions for PUBG Mobile take place in 12 different regions around the world, with the best players from each region advancing to compete in a worldwide tournament this summer.

Call of Duty Mobile  While the Call of Duty League on console and PC may be the most recognizable competition for the COD franchise, Call of Duty Mobile has quietly built up an impressive audience over the last several years. Available on Android and iOS, the game produced one of the largest mobile game launches in history by generating over $480 million in revenue and 270 million downloads in its first year.

The competitive scene for the game has grown rapidly, with more than $2 million up for grabs at this year’s Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship in June. The Championship, which is presented by Sony, will be open to players across the world. Players who meet the minimum ranked criteria can participate in events and qualify for the regional stages. Sony’s newest flagship smartphone, Xperia 1 III, will be the official mobile device of the event. The tournament will be live-streamed on the COD Mobile Esports YouTube channel.

Arena of Valor  Arena of Valor is a 5v5 multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) designed by Tencent Games and available to users on Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch. In 2020, the game recorded over 100 million daily users. The Arena of Valor International Championship (AIC), Arena of Valor’s biggest tournament, recorded more than 109 million total views last year. The event was live-streamed to fans worldwide through various streaming platforms including YouTube, Facebook, and Valor TV, and commentary was provided in five different languages. AIC 2020 was recognized by YouTube as one of the most-watched live gaming events of 2020 globally, reinforcing Arena of Valor’s position as one of the top competitive mobile games.

Garena Free Fire is a mobile title published by Singapore-based Garena in the wildly popular battle royale genre, with up to 50 players dropping into a battleground and fighting until only one champion remains. The title’s broad appeal made it the most downloaded game globally in 2019. In May of 2020, Free Fire was averaging 80 million daily players and has grossed over $1 billion within a free-to-play format. 

Piggybacking off this success, the game has wholeheartedly embraced esports, with Garena launching the Free Fire World Series (FFWS) and Free Fire All-Stars competitions. Viewership numbers are staggering across the globe with Brazilian competition in January peaking at 449,565 viewers and Asian Free Fire audiences averaging 828,986 concurrent viewers. Garena has announced plans to release an enhanced version of the game titled Free Fire Max. 

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang or MLBB is a mobile massive online battle arena title developed by Montoon which pits two teams of players, each player controlling a single unique character, against each other on the battlefield in a game of base defense and attack. First released in 2016, the title has seen incredible popularity in Southeast Asia, even being chosen for the first medal event esports competition at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines.

The game hosts the annual Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asian Competition and more localized leagues such as the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League. In 2019, the first Mobile Legends: Bang Bang World Championship took place, with 16 teams fighting for a prize pool of $250,000. 

Hearthstone is a free-to-play mobile online collectible card game created by Blizzard Entertainment and first released in 2014. Building off the success and established base of the Warcraft series, this title borrows the same universe to offer a turn-based, two-person game using decks of 30 cards and an additional selected hero with unique powers. 

The title earns nearly $40 million per month and has long surpassed the 100 million player mark. The game supports a thriving esports ecosystem with an annual Hearthstone World Championship and a Hearthstone World Tour featuring four three-month seasons and over $1 million in prize money. The 2020 Hearthstone World Champion winner, Kenta “Glory” Sato, took home $200,000.

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Five Brands Making Major Investments into Esports in 2021

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With the popularity of esports growing across the globe, brands are not sitting idly by on the sidelines. While some mainstays have been around the scene for years, others are using 2021 as a springboard for diving into the industry. The promise of a captive, youthful, and massive audience is even enough to make a 148-year-old blue jean company roll the dice on competitive gaming. However they arrived here, these five brands have already found innovative ways to make a splash within esports over the first few months of the new year.

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Cash App 

Cash App, the money transferring service, has recently announced a partnership with self-described “premium lifestyle brand and gaming organization” 100 Thieves. The two have joined forces to launch the “100 Thieves Cash Card”, which will cost $5, with a dollar from each purchase going to the charity organization Gamers Outreach. The card will also come with ‘exclusive boost incentives’ that have yet to be announced. At the time of this writing, the new cash card is entirely sold out and won’t become available again until later this summer. 

Cash App has worked with 100 Thieves since 2019 and is the title sponsor of the Cash App Compound, a 15,000 square foot esports team facility in downtown Los Angeles. 

Red Bull

A mainstay on the esports branding lineup, the drink that grants wings has continued to make its presence known within gaming. The company currently hosts over a dozen annual events around the world, sponsors a variety of teams and individual athletes, and has a dedicated full-time esports content production team.

Just last week, Red Bull Racing Esports announced a partnership with gaming equipment manufacturer HyperX for “gaming mice, keyboards and the HyperX Cloud Gaming Headsets.” 

Commenting on the partnership, Red Bull Racing Honda’s Chief Marketing Officer, Oliver Hughes, said: “We are incredibly proud of the growth and success of our Esports Team, which is, in turn, enabling us to partner with other market leaders in this space.”

Levi’s 

The longrunning (founded in 1873) American blue jeans company made its first serious foray into the esports space this year by announcing a partnership with NRG Esports, a competitive gaming organization. The deal grants Levi’s a physical presence inside NRG’s headquarters, Hot Pockets Castle, where visitors will be able to personalize their apparel. On the digital side, Levi’s will be incorporated within the upcoming “A Day in the Life of an NRG Influencer” social content series along with the NRG Twitch and YouTube channels. 

Levi’s VP/Marketing Stacy Doren stated that esports “have become such an important part of today’s youth culture, and with NRG being one of the biggest players in that space, they were an ideal partner to help bring Levi’s into the world of gaming.”

Mercedes-Benz 

Unlike Levi’s, the famous German car company has been invested in the esports space for quite some time now. Mercedes-Benz joined forces with ESL in 2017, a partnership still going to this day. The brand also signed an agreement with the Chinese League of Legends organization Royal Never Give Up and fielded a team in the F1 Esports Series.

In 2019, Mercedes’ parent company purchased 67 percent of ESforce’s stake in German esports organization SK Gaming. The deal included high visibility branding opportunities for the luxury car manufacturer. 

This year, The Polish branch of Mercedes-Benz became the title sponsor of esports and gaming venue “ESPOT Powered By Mercedes-Benz” in Warsaw, Poland.

DHL 

In a newly announced multi-year partnership, DHL will continue to serve as the official logistics partner for ESL events. The company is in charge of moving equipment, such as monitors and gaming chairs, and will be coordinating on the ESL Pro Tour, ESL Mobile, and all Dota 2 events.

“With this partnership, we are very successfully addressing a young target group that can hardly be reached through traditional marketing channels,” said Arjan Sissing, Head of Brand Marketing at Deutsche Post DHL Group. “As digital natives, esports fans naturally have a strong affinity for e-commerce, and for us as a logistics operator, e-commerce is a mainstay of our business.” 

DHL first partnered with ESL in 2018 and previously used some creative marketing tactics to blend the brand within Dota 2.

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Esports Explained: Twitch

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In this series by KemperLesnik, we will be exploring and defining popular esports terms and games. This article covers Twitch, a popular live streaming service for gamers.

In the world of esports, content distribution is just as important as the content itself. Without distribution, creators would spend their time making content just to have it seen by no one. That’s where a platform like Twitch comes in to play.

Launched in 2011, Twitch is a live streaming service designed primarily for gamers. Twitch users can watch other people playing video games or live stream their own gameplay to an audience made up of other users. Twitch users can also follow and DM (Direct Message) each other, and each stream has its own unique chatroom where users can connect and discuss what’s happening on the stream.

Many different games are streamed on the Twitch platform. The most-watched games on the platform include Grand Theft Auto, League of Legends, Fortnite, Call of Duty, Minecraft, Counter-Strike, and Dota 2. It has also been used to host interviews and conversations, and to play non-traditional video games such as chess.

In 2014, Amazon acquired the streaming service for $970 million. At the time, it was the biggest acquisition in Amazon’s history. As part of the agreement, Amazon created a service called Twitch Prime, which was eventually rebranded to Prime Gaming. Prime Gaming is included with all Amazon Prime subscriptions and provides users with free games, free Twitch channel subscriptions, and exclusive in-game loot.

Similar to YouTube, Twitch makes money from advertisements that are integrated into live streams; it also makes money from paid subscriptions to popular channels. Twitch streamers have the potential to earn money through these subscriptions and through brand partnerships. Currently, the most popular streamer on Twitch is Ludwig Ahgren, who has more than 225,000 active subscribers. Another popular streamer, Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, allegedly made more than $75,000 per month on Twitch when his channel was at its peak.

Twitch can be watched on the official website and through the Twitch app on most mobile devices. Users also have the ability to stream Twitch on any major gaming platform. To stream on Twitch, creators can get started with nothing more than a webcam and a microphone.

As of this year, Twitch has more than 9.7 million unique creators on the platform. During peak hours, Twitch accounts for nearly 2% of all internet traffic and more than 40% of all video streaming. In March alone, users watched more than 2.1 billion hours of content on Twitch. The platform has more than 140 monthly active users (MAUs) and continues to grow at a strong pace.

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Five Schools Leading the Way for Collegiate Esports

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With each passing year, esports becomes a larger part of the college sports landscape. In 2018, there were only 70 full-time collegiate esports programs in the country. By 2020, that number had ballooned to 170, with more schools joining in every month.

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Similarly, in the 2015-16 academic year, esports scholarships totaled $2.5 million nationally. By 2019, national scholarship dollars were up to $15 million, a 600% increase. As schools across the country focus on expanding their programs and enticing top recruits, a battle is playing out for who can offer, and deliver, the most to potential players. 

Here are five schools that are leading the way for collegiate esports when it comes to competition, facilities, and educational opportunities for student-athletes.

 

  • Maryville University- For fans of college esports, it should come as no surprise that Maryville University in Saint Louis is at the top of this list. After starting their program in 2015, Maryville made a name for themselves after going 40-0 and winning the 2016 League of Legends Championship. They won the same championship again in 2017 and 2020. The school has a state-of-the-art practice facility for their team that includes high-speed computers, high-end gaming headsets, and gaming chairs, creating an environment where the team can practice without any distractions. The school offers gaming scholarships up to $2,000 per year and hopes to continue to improve its offerings moving forward.

 

  • The University of California at Irvine- UC Irvine was the first public school to create a varsity esports team. Their campus features one of the most extravagant esports facilities in the country, housing over 70 high-speed computers and a large arena to host games and tournaments. Also included in the facility is a “Console and Community Corner” that features several gaming consoles where players can compete with or against each other, making the facility appealing to more than just PC gamers. The school focuses primarily on League of Legends and Overwatch, offering scholarships of up to $5,610 per year for varsity players in each game.

 

  • Miami University (Ohio)- Miami University in Oxford, Ohio is known for becoming the nation’s first Division 1 varsity esports program after creating their varsity program in 2015. In 2016, the school started offering varsity esports scholarships for student-athletes, competing primarily in Overwatch, Rocket League, and Hearthstone. The school developed an arena for the esports program on the first floor of the campus library, which features 16 gaming stations that each include a gaming computer that possesses a high-end graphics card and monitor. The university also offers summer esports camps where students can visit campus to compete in tournaments and train like varsity esports athletes.

 

  • Boise State University- Boise State created its esports program in 2017. Originally focusing on Rocket League, Overwatch, and League of Legends, the program has since expanded to include Heroes of the Storm and Hearthstone. The tryout process for the BSU varsity team is extensive, taking up a full week at the start of the school year. Players on the team are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0, well above the standard requirement for student-athletes. The Broncos’ home arena includes several impressive amenities such as a broadcasting section, a graphics and technical mixing area, and a two-tiered stage with a large spectating area.

 

  • University of Utah- The University of Utah is new to the competitive gaming scene, starting its program in 2017. However, the school has some of the most expansive gaming offerings outside of the competitive scene, including a game development program that has been offered since 2007 and an undergraduate degree in gaming that was started in 2017. The university has a gaming facility that is stocked with 20 gaming computers and top-notch keyboards, headsets, and gaming mice. Utah brands itself as “Gamer U,” with more than 200 students trying out for 30 spots on the school’s varsity Overwatch, League of Legends, and Hearthstone teams.

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