Top 10 Esports Sponsorships that will redefine the industry

Sponsorships are a pretty big part of modern sports, and this is the case in esports too. Over the last decade, esports has gone from a more niche interest into a business that rivals the revenue of traditional sports. Playing games professionally brings in a lot of esports sponsorships. They have become a vital part of gaming.

Without copious advertising, most events wouldn’t have the cash to function. Even the best esports streams use sponsorships. Which deals come and go are an indication of the health of an esport, like with Overwatch losing multiple sponsors or new tournaments like Gamers8 signing huge sponsorship deals.

Heading into 2023, there was some pullback in esports spending across the board but 2024 looks to be the beginning of a bounce back. Some of the biggest companies in the world are still choosing to use esports to get their brand out there. Including some of the biggest and most notable esports sponsorships we’ve ever seen.

Here are our selection of ten investors in esports that will redefine the esports industry as a whole:

10. US Air Force

Sponsorship from a military branch isn’t quite as traditional as some of the others on this list, and there’s a good reason why it makes some uneasy. However, the Air Force along with other branches of the military has shown an increased interest in sponsoring esports. This started with the sponsorship of Cloud9, with logos appearing on their outfits. They’ve also run Twitch streams and their own esports streams. Increasingly it’s seen as a good way of getting young people aware of their options with the Air Force.

9. Comcast / Xfinity

Comcast Xfinity has been trying to tap into the market for gamers needing higher-quality internet for minimal lag. These sponsor a good amount of esports here too. They’re one of the top esports sponsorships including having deals with Evil Geniuses, esports arenas, and ESL. There is also an esports-focused arena they directly run.

8. Secret Lab

As a company so directly related to esports and gaming, it’s no surprise Secret Labs is one of the prolific sponsors. They’re one of the brands that you’ll see at most tournaments, sponsoring major events like T1, Astralis, Cloud9, and Team Secret As a gaming chair manufacturer, you’ll spot their goods all over esports streamers too.

7. Mountain Dew/ PepsiCo

Pepsi’s sponsorships for esports include sponsorships under specific brands such as Mountain Dew. This includes teams Splyce, Team Dignitas, and SK Gaming. Along with actual teams, they sponsor major CSGO events.

In recent years, PepsiCo also became a major sponsor of the Gamers8 event. This is one of the biggest esports series on the calendar in 2024 and PepsiCo is their primary sponsor. Other brands have gotten involved too, with Rockstar Energy signing a multi-year partnership with NRG. PepsiCo is one of the companies making major expansions in their esports sponsorships. They’ve re-upped with the Saudi Pro League, which will carry PepsiCo as an official sponsor throughout 2024 and 2025.

6. Esports Bookmakers

Bookmakers have shown such an interest in esports, that its downright difficult to select a single one to feature on our list. Operators and groups like the Esports Entertainment Group, Betway, Unibet and GG.BET are amongst the biggest supporters of esports teams and events on the market.

You can witness plenty of events featuring esports betting sites as their main sponsor, and for good reason. Esports betting has become comparable to traditional sports in terms of affluence and interest. Some if not most of the best CSGO teams on the planet are now sponsored by a betting provider.

5. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is one of the biggest names in drinks, but also in sponsorship. The company has been sponsoring sports events along with other industries for quite a long time and there’s no exception in esports. Some of their esports sponsorships have included e-NASCAR, Riot Games, Pittsburgh Knights, paiN Gaming, and Tespa.

Name recognition alone is enough for Coke to invest heavily into esports, and they are doing so with a large swath of sponsorships throughout the industry. While some major corporations like BMV are reducing their esports spending, Coca-Cola has plowed ahead with even more. More recently they’ve partnered with Guild Esports for a sizeable deal and the FIFA esports world cup.

4. Monster Energy

In terms of raw number of sponsorships, Monster Energy might top things for sponsorships in esports. They’re everywhere in the world of esports. The energy drink currently sponsors as many as 14 different tournaments in tons of games. They’re the most-seen brand across the whole of the esports industry, particularly in major games like LoL.

3. Mastercard

One of the biggest losses in esports sponsorships recently has been those lost with major crypto sponsors shutting down and taking their sponsorship cash with them, but traditional finance is partially filling that gap. Mastercard is increasingly getting involved in sponsoring competitive gaming events.

This year they’ve extended their deal with Riot Games which gives them a huge presence in gaming. They have a multi-year deal for sponsoring the LoL World Championship, the Mid-Season Invitational, and All-Star Events.

In 2024, they’ve even kicked off the Mastercard Gamer Academy. This is a system that will fund emerging talent to attend major events. That’s along with continuing their work with Riot Games.

2. Red Bull

Red Bull has always been a company that heavily invests in sports and esports. Their portfolio features sponsoring a number of StarCraft 2 and Dota 2 events along with prominent teams like G2, OG and Tempo Storm. On top of that, Red Bull regularly organizes their own esports events like the RedBull SoloQ and RedBull Wololo.

When it comes to esports, Red Bull has become more involved, even as they maintain their sponsorships in more traditional sports. They are truly a driving force in the industry. Their yearly Red Bull Kumite has become one of the most important events for Street Fighter. The company doesn’t just stick to the biggest games, sponsoring events all over esports.

1. Intel

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