Industry
In 2019, the global eSports market was valued at $957.5 million, which has grown to approximately $1.64 billion, increasing by more than 70% over the past five years.
Sponsorship is essential to modern sports, and it also applies to eSports. Over the past decade, eSports has evolved from a niche interest to a global business competing with traditional sports revenues. Sponsorship and advertising account for the largest share of income in the eSports market.
Giant and famous companies stayed caught up in progress and started investing in esports long ago, clearly making a good bet for the future.
We have highlighted eight sponsors who have made and continue to contribute considerably to eSport: Comcast/ Xfinity, Bookmakers eSport, Mountain Dew/ PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Mastercard, Monster Energy, Red Bull, and Intel. Our top is lined up from the most minor sponsor to the largest.
We're writing a lot more about the esports industry. You may enjoy the article THQ's Failure Story.
Highlights
- A selection of the eight biggest sponsors of all time in eSport
- Predictions about economic progress in eSports
Comcast/ Xfinity
These guys are trying to reach the market of gamers who want better internet without lag. They sponsor a lot of esports: they are one of the top sponsors, including deals with Evil Geniuses, esports arenas, and ESL. They also manage an esports arena directly.
We recently wrote an interesting article about the industry: From Booklets To Denuvo: Milestones In The Fight Against Piracy.
Speaking of investing, let's leave you with an exciting discussion about company stock.
Bookmakers Esport
Bookmakers are showing so much interest in esports that it takes a lot of work to choose one to include in our list. Esports Entertainment Group, Betway, Unibet, and GG.BET is among the biggest supporters of esports teams and events.
In 2016, who would be one of the big sponsors of esports, Anthony Werkman's Betway bookmaker from the UK would be an incredible candidate for the spot. Yet Betway has quickly become one of Europe's most favored eSport sponsors.
Betway has created a new brand, Betway Esports, which publishes interviews and player profiles on its YouTube page.
GG.BET is currently sponsoring ESL, CS2, and DOTA 2. They are sponsors of HEROIC and champions of the Dreamhack Open in Fall 2020. The smaller teams may have ongoing small deals that don't make mainstream news.
Esports betting sites are the main sponsors of many events, and for good reason. Regarding wealth and interest, esports betting has become comparable to traditional sports.
We wrote a helpful article on betting: How Does eSports Betting Work? Compared with Sports Betting.
Mountain Dew/ PepsiCo
Pepsi's esports sponsorship includes sponsorships under specific brands such as Mountain Dew. These include the teams Splyce, Team Dignitas, and SK Gaming.
In recent years, PepsiCo has also become a major sponsor of the Gamers8 event. It's one of the most extensive esports series on the 2024 calendar, and PepsiCo is its main sponsor.
In 2020, ESL made Mountain Dew its official and globally recognized beverage partner for ESL 1 and IEM.
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is worth over seventy billion dollars and is famous for LOL (Leagues Of Legends).
Coca-Cola has been involved in esports for a long time. In 2020, it became the official beverage of Overwatch after signing a 5 million dollar sponsorship deal.
Some of their esports sponsorships have included e-NASCAR, Riot Games, Pittsburgh Knights, paiN Gaming, and Tespa. While some major corporations, such as BMV, are cutting back on their esports spending, Coca-Cola has pulled ahead with even more success.
Mastercard
In the esports space, it was a significant loss to see the departure of major crypto sponsors who took their sponsorship money with them. Still, traditional finance is partially filling the gap.
Mastercard has become increasingly involved in sponsoring competitive gaming events. It is the official partner of the Esports World Cup (EWC), which will be hosted by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) from July 4 to August 24, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
This year, they renewed their contract with Riot Games, giving them a massive gaming industry presence. They have a multi-year agreement to sponsor the LoL World Championship, Mid-Season Invitational, and All-Star Events.
In 2024, they launched the Mastercard Gamers Academy. This system will provide participants with exclusive mentorship, essential industry connections, and skill development opportunities. A highlight of the program is all-expense-paid trips to significant esports events, offering an immersive experience in professional gaming.
Monster Energy
Monster Energy may be breaking eSports sponsorship records. The energy drink is sponsoring as many as 14 tournaments in various games. It is one of the most visible brands in the eSports industry, especially in big games like LoL.
You can read discussions on Reddit about the harms of energy drinks.
Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is a company that has always invested money in sports and now also supports eSports. They have sponsored eSports events like StarCraft 2 and Dota 2 and famous teams such as G2, OG, and Tempo Storm.
To Red Bull's credit, the company regularly organizes its eSports events, such as RedBull SoloQ and RedBull Wololo.
They are a driving force in the industry. Their annual Red Bull Kumite has become one of the most critical events for Street Fighter. The company doesn't limit itself to the biggest games, sponsoring events all over the esports industry. This energy drink company has over thirty billion dollars in equity.
Intel
Intel at the esports event
Where would eSports be without Intel? This company is a giant in the field of computers, and its sponsorship has penetrated esports further than any other company. At the turn of the century, it started by providing free equipment for LAN tournaments.
Intel has sponsored some of the biggest CS:GO/CS2 tournaments over the past decade, with the Intel Extreme Masters series being their crown jewel.
Riot Games also has Intel as a major partner in all global and regional competitions.
Fans of League of Legends, Overwatch, and CS2 always hear about Intel. They provide core funding for ESL One, ESL Intel Grand Slam, ESL National Championships, and Dreamhack Masters. And they are truly worthy of the right to top our list of the TOP 8 best esports sponsors.
An interesting thread on Intel can be found on Reddit. We'll leave you a link.
Summary
The United States Air Force is also a famous sponsor. Sponsorship by a military branch is not as traditional as others on this list, but it exists nonetheless.
Mercedes Benz is globally recognized as ESL's mobility partner. Logitech makes a name for itself by sponsoring famous sports teams and celebrity streamers.
