There has been no word on sponsors as the Overwatch League Season 5 creeps closer and closer. Sponsors from past seasons such as Comcast, State Farm, and more do not look like they will be continuing. A big factor of sponsors being wary comes from the lawsuit that was brought against Blizzard in 2021. That brings into question, which sponsorships make the most sense for the Overwatch League? This article is meant to be hypothetical.
When it comes to sponsorships the Overwatch League has had some random ones, but one can’t be picky when it comes to money. There are a few factors that need to be thought about. This is a more family-friendly game than Call of Duty. A USA Army sponsorship or alcohol brand might not fit the image that the Overwatch League is trying to maintain. Though in the past they did partner up with Budlight. In the past, the Overwatch League has partnered up with some great brands such as IBM, Toyota, Team Speak, Xfinity, and many others to help the League bring the games to the viewers. They are an essential component in ensuring that the League has the funds to run properly.
Most of the sponsors in the past did come from the North American region. There is no word yet on T-mobile, but if that falls through picking up another cell phone carrier like AT&T would be smart. It fits the audience.
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Cisco or Netgear would also be a good option. They both already sponsor some Overwatch League teams individually. Both of these companies deal with technology and software, which goes along with the theme of esports. Of course, the gaming component for companies that make gaming chairs, gaming accessories, and gaming PCs, are all great choices as well. Logitech G also sponsors an Overwatch League team already and could go even bigger with the league.
Courtesy of OMEN (2017)
The fans last season love the storyline of the Vancouver Titans the breadsticks. There have been many food-related sponsorships that have been integrated into the league in the past, either has become a community obsession or a meme. Food, though not directly connected, has always been a solid sponsorship for the League.
Though in the past many of the sponsorships have been in North America, doesn’t mean that it needs to stay that way. As a global league, it would make sense for the league to pull from other parts of the world as well. APAC has its own regional bracket. They could bring in more relevant brands and sponsorships as well for the viewers. In the past, Comcast was a sponsor while also an owner of the Philadelphia Fusion, meaning that Huya or Billibilli could do the same.
Samsung would make a lot of sense for Korea or even KKT. Both companies deal with technology, electronics, and communication. The way that Korean teams tweet about Korean BBQ and fried chicken, could be a major sponsorship opportunity as well. Alipay in China or the China equivalent of KKT of Wechat could be used.
This is all easier said than done as politics play a part in sponsorship deals. With the impending lawsuit proceedings, many companies will be leery of entering into a deal that could come back and hurt their brand. While the Overwatch League accepting China sponsorships could make their North American fans angry because of the political issues happening in China. Either way, there will be sponsors for the OWL, just maybe not as big of ones as before.
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