It’s no secret that some of the biggest brands on the planet are throwing significant sums of money at esports. While it’s not too surprising to see electronic giants like Intel and Logitech investing in esports, many of the biggest players sinking money into the sector come from entirely different industries. Sponsorship is certain to remain the key revenue booster in the years ahead. By 2025, the market worth is expected to soar past $30 billion, with brand sponsorship being a key factor in the equation. Below, we’ll explore 7 of the biggest brands sponsoring esports in 2023.
1. Red Bull
Red Bull has been an active sponsor since the early days of esports. Back in 2006, the brand signed Dave ‘Walshy” Walsh, a popular Halo player and caster. Since then, the beverage giant has continued to invest heavily in esports. They’ve sponsored teams like G2, OG, and T1. What’s more, the brand formed its very own esports team, Red Bulls.
2. Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz has taken a more active role in sponsoring esports. In 2023, the car manufacturer signed a lucrative deal with the South Korean team, T1. This deal proved particularly lucrative with T1’s standout player, Faker, who secured a brand-new 53MATIC+ from the agreement. Mercedes has also joined with Riot Games in recent years, becoming the developer’s mobility partner.
3. Coca-Cola – Coca-Cola isn’t exactly a stranger to sports sponsorship. However, this soft drinks manufacturer hasn’t always seemed like a natural fit with soccer and tennis. Looking for promotional strategies, Coca-Cola turned its attention to esports in 2022. The brand partnered with Riot Games to sponsor Wild Rift, the inaugural mobile version of League of Legends. However, this wasn’t the first time that Coca-Cola sank into money in the world of Summoner’s Rift. It was one of the primary sponsors of the League of Legends World Championships until 2016.
4. Intel– Intel is synonymous with esports, lending its name to one of the biggest annual tournaments on the planet. The Intel Extreme Masters has been around for two decades, with the company sponsoring dozens of individual events and playing seasons. Intel also has a stake in DreamHack. In 2021, Intel agreed to invest a further $100 million into esports, with the deal expected to run until 2025.
5. Samsung– Samsung is another electrical giant that has spent considerable money on esports. The company has been signing sponsorship contracts since 2013 when the brand formed Samsung Galaxy Esports. Although the team has long since disbanded, it was a fairly regular feature of the pro circuit, with rosters competing in both StarCraft and League of Legends tournaments. Samsung has also sponsored major tournaments, including Major League Gaming and the World Cyber Games.
6. Mountain Dew -Mountain Dew has only recently begun sponsoring esports teams and events, but the brand has already earned praise for investing in underrepresented corners of the circuit. In 2022, it invested heavily in the HBCU Esports League. This quickly led to the MTN DEW Real Change Challenge, a nationwide Call of Duty tournament that boasted an overall prize pool of $500,000.
7. Ally Financial -While the number of girl gamers is on the rise, few women compete at the professional level. Ally Financial has taken steps to change this. In 2023, the car financing company announced the inaugural Ally Women’s Open, a Rocket League tournament that would only be open to female players. As well as fronting the prize money for European and North American competitions, the financial company became a key sponsor of the North American RLCS in early 2023.