LCS Enters Three-Year Deal With Verizon
Verizon is the latest to attach its name to esports competition as the newest co-sponsor of the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS).
You Are Reading :LCS Enters ThreeYear Deal With Verizon
Quarantine conditions around the world have had an impact on the esports industry unlike virtually all other competition-based businesses. Whereas the NBA is currently ironing out the details of a reopening plan that seems to run into new hurdles almost daily, for example, many esports have not only managed to continue online, but have drawn in new viewers looking for a replacement for traditional sports. Due to this general growth as well as the importance of wireless connections in the current state of esports competition, wireless companies sponsoring esports leagues has become something of a trend as of late. Verizon is the latest to attach its name to esports competition as the newest co-sponsor of the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS), the North American League of Legends league.
Verizon is now officially a sponsor of the LCS Summer Split, the current season of LCS competition that began on June 12th. The wording of the deal specifies that Verizon is now the “official 5G wireless network provider” of the LCS. The contract also stipulates that the partnership will remain in place for the next three years.
In addition to signing on as a sponsor, Verizon also intends to get involved in league activities in other ways. This includes becoming the first presenting partner of Academy Rush, which is a show added to the LCS broadcast in January of this year, at the debut of the Spring season, showcasing Academy play with its own unique casting and commentary.
In April, industry competitor Xfinity announced its sponsorship of the Overwatch League for seemingly-similar reasons. Verizon is no stranger to League esports though, having previously sponsored the Dignitas organization. In practice that meant assisting with the construction of a new training facility for the team in L.A. that would not just carry the company’s name but make use of integrated 5G technology.
The Verizon partnership comes on the heels of the announcement of Samsung as an LCS co-sponsor. Similar to Verizon’s involvement with Academy Rush, the Samsung deal includes a new Samsung-branded addition to the LCS broadcast. With two major companies sponsoring the league in such a short amount of time, it’s safe to say that, despite the lack of in-person gameplay, the LCS, as with other esports, is thriving.
Source: Esports Insider
Link Source : https://www.thegamer.com/lcs-verizon-deal/