Esports News

LEC Winter 2024 records over 600,000 peak viewers during opening week

The League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) kicked off its 2024 season, with Winter Split viewership numbers recording a significant increase. The first match to break the 600,000 barrier was the clash between French organisation Karmine Corp and London-based Fnatic on day one; a total of 617,991 tuned in to watch the game. On the following day, the record was broken once again, as G2 Esports and Karmine Corp. hit 644,501 peak viewership, marking 14% growth compared to last year’s best record. During the competition’s first two days, three individual matches saw more than 600,000 people tuning in simultaneously.

With the LEC usually recording higher viewership during playoffs and high-stakes matches, there are still opportunities for these figures to grow even higher in the upcoming weeks. READ MORE

Riot renews flagship partnerships with KIA Europe, KitKat, and LG UltraGear

Riot's League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) has renewed its partnership with gaming monitor sub-brand LG UltraGear. As a result, LG UltraGear will be the LEC’s monitor partner for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

Simultaneously, Nestlé-owned chocolate brand KitKat has renewed its partnership with the LEC, EMEA Masters, and EMEA Regional Leagues for an additional three years. The collaboration will see KitKat remain as the trio’s main partner until 2026 and will include activations during technical pauses and champion selection.

South Korean car manufacturer Kia will also continue as an official main partner of the League of Legends EMEA Championship for three more years. As a result of the deal, Kia’s brand will gain visibility during LEC countdowns and breaks throughout the broadcast. READ MORE

Die Techniker becomes title sponsor for League of Legends Prime League

The Prime League tournament operator has partnered with German statutory health insurance company Die Techniker Krankenkasse for the League of Legends regional competition, the Prime League. The deal, which was brokered by SPORTFIVE, will see the German esports competition renamed to Die Techniker Prime League.

League of Legends’ regional European ecosystem has undergone significant developments over the last few years, with notable brands such as French team Karmine Korp and Spanish team KOI previously hailing from their respective regional leagues. This growth has also been seen in Germany, with the emergence of teams like NNO Prime and Eintracht Spandau. The 2023 Prime League Spring Split was the competition’s second-most popular event, recording 61,079 peak viewers. READ MORE

Red Bull enters multi-year partnership with Astralis

Danish esports organisation Astralis has announced a multi-year partnership with energy drink brand Red Bull. The two parties will collaborate on a range of activations, including being integrated into the organisation’s Astralis Nexus gaming centre.

Red Bull is no stranger to the esports industry. Alongside partnering with various brands and organisations, the brand hosts a multitude of esports events, such as the Campus Clutch VALORANT tournament. For Astralis, Red Bull becomes the tenth partner of the organisation. The brand joins the likes of the Danish Red Cross Youth, esports tournament platform FACEIT, and clothing brand Hummel. READ MORE

iRacing and IndyCar sign multi-year license agreement

Simulation racing platform iRacing and North American motorsport series IndyCar have signed a multi-year licensing agreement. As a result of the deal, IndyCar Series branding will be featured across a range of iRacing events and leagues hosting events on the platform.

The popularity of sim racing skyrocketed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the lack of real-world motorsports taking place. Since then, racing series and brands have continued to embark on projects within the space. READ MORE

Motorsport brand Alpine enters professional esports circuit

French esports organisation Gentle Mates has announced its entry into Rocket League through a partnership with automotive and motorsports brand Alpine. The partnership will see Alpine become a major partner of Gentle Mates’ new team for the 2024 season.

The Alpine brand has long been established in sports cars, but it is also no stranger to esports. The company has run the Alpine Esports Series in Sim Racing for the last three years. Moreover, Alpine also competes in F1 Sim Racing and other competitions with its own Sim Racing esports team. The automotive company also sponsored the Blast.tv Paris Major in CS:GO, becoming the official automotive and motorsport partner for the final stages of the Major. READ MORE

Team Vitality, ALDI, and Crédit Agricole launch new female League of Legends team

French esports organisation Team Vitality has rebranded its League of Legends women’s roster and announced an extension of its partnerships. The roster, formerly known as the French Bees, will now be called the Rising Bees. Moreover, Team Vitality noted that bank Crédit Agricole and supermarket chain ALDI will continue to support the roster in 2024.

To support the team, both Crédit Agricole and ALDI will continue to be Rising Bees’ main partners. ALDI, a major supermarket chain in France, first partnered with Team Vitality in 2021 and will support the Rising Bees through activations and content, as well as having its logo featured on the shoulder part of the jerseys.

On the other hand, Crédit Agricole first started working with Team Vitality in 2022 and will act as one of the main partners of the Rising Bees in the future. The Crédit Agricole logo will also feature on the Rising Bees jersey. READ MORE

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