The LCS is partnering with Verizon as the league’s official 5G wireless and network service provider as a part of a three-year deal, Riot Games announced a couple of days ago.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the deal, which starts today with the beginning of the league’s Summer Split, will also make Verizon the presenting partner for the broadcast of Academy Rush, a new show for the league’s Academy games.
5G is short for the “fifth generation” technology for cellular networks. Its deployment began in 2019 as the successor to 4G. Verizon’s esports marketing efforts have already included some 5G promotions as well.
Last year, the company’s 5G Lab in Los Angeles was touted by the provider to be the first 5G esports training facility in the U.S. In partnership with Dignitas, the facility serves as the esports organization’s West Coast HQ.
Verizon’s previous experience with esports partnerships includes working with Twitch Rivals for the Streamer Bowl in January and hosting a charity event with the New York Excelsior.
This deal comes just a couple of months after the Overwatch League signed on with wireless provider Comcast Xfinity as the league’s presenting sponsor and internet service provider.
The LCS’ array of non-endemic sponsors includes insurance company State Farm, car manufacturer Honda, credit card company Mastercard, energy drink brand Red Bull, and brewer Bud Light.
While the first deals with such sponsors seemed like a breakthrough, nowadays they became a usual business for Riot Games. This looks good for the scene as more money into the scene means more opportunities and higher salaries for players. This can be seen by the type of events done by Riot Games over time. From a World Championship in season 1 which happened in the basement to a World Championship in an arena with tens of thousands of live viewers alongside a live stream to more than tens of millions of people around the world.
As the scene grows, more companies are interested in having a piece of the cake and get a good dividend in the long run as well. League of Legends is not the only game that attracted such sponsors. A couple of months ago the Overwatch League signed on with wireless provider Comcast Xfinity as the league’s presenting sponsor and internet service provider.
World of Warcraft has attracted some sponsors for it’s live stream as well, this is great news for the overall ecosystem and esports scene in the long-term.
