Mastercard becomes the first global sponsor for LoL

Mastercard has entered into the world of esports with a multi-year partnership with Riot Games, becoming its first global sponsor for League of Legends.

Announced today, the partnership will bring exclusive or as what Mastercard termed it, Priceless experiences to esports fans through various promotions.

Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Mastercard, Raja Rajamannar said:

“Esports is a phenomenon that continues to grow in popularity, with fans that can rival those at any major sporting event in their enthusiasm and energy. Our Priceless platform is built around connecting with people through their passions. We are excited about the experiences and benefits we can bring to the world’s largest esport – both in-game and to the millions of League of Legends fans that watch and attend the tournaments each year.”

The global payment service provider will be focusing the Priceless experiences it is providing on three annual global tournaments namely, the Mid-Season Invitational, the All-Star Event, and the World Championship.

What it will offer to the fans to mark the kick-off to the first-of-its-kind global partnership include:

• Playtest, which hands the fans an opportunity to try out the gaming PCs that the pros will use during the World Championship final in South Korea this October;

• Rehearsal Viewing, which brings the fans to view the happenings behind-the-scenes and the rehearsal before the final showdown; and

• Watch with a Pro, which get the fans into VIP seats and watch the final with a League of Legends Pro player.

All you need to qualify is to use your Mastercard for payment and you could be one of the few to stand a chance to win the Priceless Experiences at the World Championship in Incheon, South Korea.

Head of Esports Partnerships at Riot Games, Naz Aletaha said:

“We’re thrilled to team up with Mastercard on this groundbreaking partnership that will provide meaningful and long-term value to our fans. Mastercard is among the first of world-class Brand’s to take such a big step into esports at the global level, and we’re proud to have them support League of Legends esports events alongside their other premier sports and entertainment sponsorships.”

The League of Legends is a premiere global sport with 144 professional esports leagues, 113 professional teams and over 850 salaried athletes around the world.

In 2017 alone, League of Legends raked in 380 million unique watch globally.

Mastercard believes that the partnership and having a foot in the esports market would help connect the brand with its consumers of all ages, and have a competitive advantage over its competitors in the long run.