IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The first few weeks of regular-season Overwatch League play have been defined by budding rivalries and down-to-the-wire matches between the 12 teams of the first global professional city-based esports league. More than 10 million viewers worldwide tuned in during opening week, and the league announced its debut automotive partner, Toyota. Now, two new partners have signed on to support the Overwatch League in its inaugural season: the wireless provider T-Mobile and SOUR PATCH KIDS candy.
T-Mobile has signed a multi-year agreement to become the official wireless provider of the Overwatch League in the United States. As a part of the agreement, the Un-carrier will be the exclusive title sponsor of the Overwatch League Regular Season MVP and Finals MVP awards. Throughout the season, T-Mobile will give its customers and esports fans alike more of the sport they love, with exclusive perks, an insider’s look at the top MVP candidates, and more.
“The same way T-Mobile re-wrote the rules of wireless, the Overwatch League is doing for esports, so this partnership is a natural fit for us,” said Meredith Starkey, VP of events and sponsorships at T-Mobile. “We’re excited to bring the Un-carrier customer-first experience to esports fans by giving them a voice in voting to select the T-Mobile MVP award winners throughout the season.”
As a part of its sponsorship with the Overwatch League, SOUR PATCH KIDS brand—the country’s #1-selling sour candy—will bring fans content that will air during the Overwatch League season-one livestream. Fans on-site at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles also will be able to enjoy a branded experience, digital-board messaging, branded thundersticks to cheer on their favorite teams, and of course free SOUR PATCH KIDS candy at select matches.
“The SOUR PATCH KIDS brand is always connecting with our fans where they live and play, which is why we’ve been a part of gaming since 2011,” said Katie Williams, senior director of marketing, North America Confections. “Our sponsorship with the Overwatch League gives us an immersive opportunity to support this exciting evolution in esports and highlight gameplay moments for spectators in the arena and those streaming from home.”
“We couldn’t be happier to add iconic consumer brands like T-Mobile and SOUR PATCH KIDS candy to our growing roster of Overwatch League partners,” said Pete Vlastelica, president and CEO of Blizzard Entertainment’s MLG division. “The exclusive experiences, content, and access that both brands have committed to providing will make the Overwatch League fan and viewer experience that much more rewarding for our global audience.”
The Overwatch League is further supported by Toyota, HP®, and Intel®, with players competing on cutting-edge gaming hardware including HP’s OMEN gaming PCs, powered by the latest Intel® Core™ i7 processors.
About the Overwatch League™
The Overwatch League™ is the first major global professional esports league with city-based teams across Asia, Europe, and North America. Overwatch® was created by globally acclaimed publisher Blizzard Entertainment (a division of Activision Blizzard—Nasdaq: ATVI), whose iconic franchises have helped lay the foundations and push the boundaries of professional esports over the last 15 years. The latest addition to Blizzard’s stable of twenty-one #1 games,[1] Overwatch was built from the ground up for online competition, with memorable characters and fast-paced action designed for the most engaging gameplay and spectator experiences. To learn more about the Overwatch League, visit www.overwatchleague.com.
About Mondelēz International, Maker of SOUR PATCH KIDS Candy
Mondelēz International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDLZ) is building the best snacking company in the world, with 2016 net revenues of approximately $26 billion. Creating more moments of joy in approximately 165 countries, Mondelēz International is a world leader in biscuits, chocolate, gum, candy and powdered beverages, featuring global Power Brands such as OREO cookies and belVita breakfast biscuits; Cadbury Dairy Milk and Milka chocolate; and Trident gum. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor's 500, NASDAQ 100 and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Visit www.mondelezinternational.com or follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDLZ.
SOUR PATCH KIDS candy launched in 1985 and has long been a favorite among teens and young adults. SOUR PATCH KIDS candy is known for its "SOUR THEN SWEET" taste. Today, SOUR PATCH KIDS candy is the #1 selling sour candy brand in the U.S. To learn more about SOUR PATCH KIDS candy, visit @SourPatchKids on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and @SourPatchSnaps on Snapchat.
© 2018 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. OVERWATCH, OVERWATCH LEAGUE, BLIZZARD and BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT are trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. MAJOR LEAGUE GAMING is a trademark of Major League Gaming Corp.
[1] Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Blizzard Entertainment's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the sponsorship arrangements for Overwatch esports, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Blizzard Entertainment's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Blizzard Entertainment or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.
Source: Overwatch League
