The 7 Benefits of Partnering With Esports Teams

eSports​‍​‌‍​‍‌ teams are much more than just players of a squad dressing in matching jerseys. Basically these are media companies: they stream constantly, create short clips, chat with the community, go to live events. If a company partners with eSports teams, it may very well have access to the team’s community in a natural and friendly way for fans, still, it will not be a random placement of an ad next to a match.

There are seven real benefits you can get from an eSports team partnership that we talk about here, as well as how to pick the right team and track your results.

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1) Reach a highly engaged audience that is often difficult to access

The audience of eSports is often highly defined. Different games, regions, skill levels, and content styles strongly identify these audiences. Therefore, once you know your target, it is easier than setting your advertisement in mass media.

A​‍​‌‍​‍‌ joint marketing effort with a team can get your brand or product name out to:

• Fans blowing a stream up to 4+ hours (not just a glance)
• People who are obsessed with match schedules and rosters
• Community members who regularly interact on Discord servers

In case you associate any products or services with gaming, technology, entertainment, payments, lifestyle, training, or education, this audience can be a perfect match for you.

Here is a list of things to request a team:

• Geographical and linguistic audience split
• Main social accounts (Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram)
• Average views per video and average live viewers per stream

2) Get content that doesn’t feel like an ad

One of the most rewarding things is if the sponsored content really looks like the club’s usual one. Since fans are there for gameplay and characters, it would be perfect if a sponsor’s content would effortlessly become part of the team’s content routine.

Typical content formats include:

• Jersey logos + match-day photos
• Stream overlays and shout-outs during live play
• “Day in the life” videos where your product is there naturally
• Short clips with creator reactions, match highlights, or team moments

The reason this works is that the fans of these players are used to getting all of their stuff and gear, and their routines, and habits via the players’ content.

Practical tip

Keep a written record of a “content menu” that includes the list of what you expect: how many posts, streams mentions. platforms, and dates.

3) Borrow trust through association with eSports teams fans already follow

Fans treat many eSports teams like clubs. They know the players, watch them practice, and debate rosters just like traditional sports fans do. When your company becomes part of that ecosystem, it can gain credibility much faster than if it started at ​‍​‌‍​‍‌zero.

If any of these points relate to your situation, it will be very useful:

• Reaching out to the gaming space is something you are not experienced at
• You sell something where the customer needs to be very sure of the product before buying (payments, subscriptions, hardware, coaching, travel, tickets, memberships)
• Your product is such that a customer needs to see/hear about it quite a few times before purchasing

How to make this work

Pick eSports teams whose tone fits your company. A team known for clean, friendly content usually won’t fit a brand that wants edgy shock value, and the reverse is also true.

4) Open doors to events, sponsors, and co-marketing

eSports teams often have existing sponsor networks: other companies already spending money in the same world. Partnering with a team can put you in rooms you might not reach alone.

This can lead to:

• Joint giveaways with other sponsors
• Event booths next to bigger names
• Bundle deals (your product + another sponsor’s offer)
• Cross-posts that put your name in new feeds

Practical tip

Before you sign, ask, “Which of your current sponsors are the most active, and what types of joint activities are allowed?” You want to be able to carry out your ideas freely, so avoiding agreements with conflicting sponsor is better.

iGaming brands and eSports partnerships come hand in hand as both are part of the same digital entertainment space and depend heavily on repeated ​‍​‌‍​‍‌engagement. If you’re working with an operator or platform provider,a Turnkey iGaming solution can make sponsorship activations easier to roll out across markets, with one setup for core pieces like game content, payment flows, bonus logic, and reporting.

What​‍​‌‍​‍‌ it basically means is that an eSports campaign of yours can seamlessly integrate with a product experience that is already designed for scaling rather than starting everything from square one.

5) Build community access that is not possible to get through normal ads

Also, eSports is basically revolves around communities. eSport teams members always use Discord servers, subscriber chats and other private groups. A sponsorship is a perfect way to witness your audience around in their natural environment.

Some conditions the eSports eams and you can agree upon without being seen as too pushy:

• Giveaway nights hosted by the team
• A “partner perks” channel in Discord
• Community watch parties with your name attached
• Limited-time codes shared by players during streams

Here you can evaluate the effectiveness of your messages and see the issues which the fans really care about.

What aspects to regularly demand

• One recurring community moment per month (giveaway, AMA session, watch party)
• A pinned partner post during major events
• Take your partner communication directive that includes spam-control measures (so it doesn’t look dodgy)

6) Stay visible across a long season, not just a one-time burst

Many marketing pushes are short. eSports runs on seasons, splits, qualifiers, and majors. A team partnership can keep your presence steady across months, with spikes during big moments.

What it might be like:

• Monthly content drops tied to match weeks
• Extra posts during playoffs
• Live-event activations during major tournaments
• Recap videos where your logo stays present throughout the clip

This regularly repeated exposure is important because most people usually don’t make a decision to buy immediately after one interaction with the brand. The first time they get familiar with you, the second acts as a confirmation and it is only after the third that they make a purchase.

Tip

Get a schedule plan from the team regarding what will take place during “quiet months” as well as major events throughout the season.

7) Get real-world product input from competitive eSports teams

Professional and semi-professional players have very high standards. They are very keen on details. So, if your product is connected to the performance, comfort, workflow, or even daily habits of the player, you will definitely benefit from their feedback in terms of identifying the right solutions quickly.

This goes most commonly ​‍​‌‍​‍‌with:

• PC​‍​‌‍​‍‌ equipment, chairs, desks, monitors
• Audio, microphones, webcams, lighting
• Applications, subscriptions, training drills
• Supplements, beverages, products for better sleep (if marketed properly)

How to handle it:

• Send products out early and schedule a brief review window
• Request that players give you their written comments and not just a quick “it’s fine” made up their mind
• Film a short group conversation with the team where they talk about what they liked and what was off

(Be truthful. Viewers can tell the difference between genuine and fake appreciation from afar.)

Selection of an eSports team partner

Large follower base is not a sufficient qualification. Compatibility is a more important factor.

Utilize such a checklist:

• Game match: Is the team competing in the games that your audience is really watching?
• Region match: Are their fans located in your sale areas?
• Content frequency: Are they posting weekly, daily, or at random?
• Player stability: Are rosters being reset every month?
• Community health: lively chat, well-moderated Discord, friendly vibes
• Previous partners: Have they collaborated with the same industry players before?

Ask for media kit with recent numbers and examples.

Measuring the eSports partnership outcomes

You can find out what worked without a complicated tracking system. Clear, simple metrics should be your starting point.

Keep track of:

• Visits from the team’s pages (UTM-tagged links per platform)
• Discount codes usage (unique code per player or per channel)
• Search lift (are more people searching your company name after the match weeks?)
• Followers increase on your channels during the events
• Sales or registrations linked to specific posts or streams

Tip:

For you to know the source of the increase, use different codes for different moments (match week vs giveaway vs event).

FAQ about partnerships with eSports teams

What is the budget for eSports team sponsorships?

The budget varies a great deal. Small eSports teams might be content with product-only deals or low monthly fees. On the other hand, large organizations usually charge according to deliverables: logo presence, amount of content, player time, and event rights.

Is it better to collaborate with a single team or multiple teams?

Spend your initial effort on one that fits best ​‍​‌‍​‍‌perfectly. Learn what content formats work, then expand. Multiple small partnerships can also work if you can manage the workload and keep messaging consistent.

What partnership deliverables should be in the contract?
At minimum: number of posts, platforms, dates, stream mention rules, logo usage rules, approval timelines, payment terms, and what happens if a roster changes.

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