Esports news is getting juicer than ever. Dunkin Doughnuts is joining the eSports community by sponsoring Twitch Rivals as of yesterday. The sponsorship is set to begin when the three-day VALORANT Series 1 competition starts at 6 PM EST. The eight-team round-robin competition includes a $50,000 prize pool.
The Vice President of Media at Partnerships (Dunkin) stated,” We’re always looking for new and unique ways to connect with our fans, and we’re excited to tap into Twitch’s existing Rival’s fanbase to engage a passionate audience of dedicated gamers. As the official fan fuel of Twitch Rivals, we unlock unparalleled opportunities for Dunkin’ to reach and reward both streamers and viewers.”
After the first of the competition comes to an end, the top three teams remaining will compete in a single-game elimination bracket over the next two days. The prizes include gaming consoles, gift cards, and more.
The partnership will include a custom Twitch extension that allows viewers to predict in-game outcomes to win prizes.
The financial statements are not disclosed as of right now. Nobody outside of the agreement knows the length of the partnership is. They will join other big-name brands like Samsung, Verizon, Capital One, Turbo Tax, Bud Light, and so many more to name.
Dunkin will also be a premier host for a Twitch Rivals Tournament later this year.
What Does This Mean Down the Line
Esports will only get bigger as we have seen a competition during Superbowl week where a few NFL players like Keenan Allen joined the battle. New Lynx signee, Aerial Powers, is also an advent gamer. There are esports teams that are getting sponsorships from companies like Dollar Shave Club and Tik Tok.
MORE ESPORTS NEWS FROM KNUP SPORTS
Stock Market
The Esports boom has also been making waves in Wall Street. Currently, Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. (GMBL) is up a little over 9% $19.18. Citron Research report indicated that GameStop (NYSE: GME) should buy Esports Entertainment after crazy several weeks the stock price had with Wallstreet Bets going against the hedge funds. Other than the wild fluctuation, the stock price has not moved for several years as many of its stores had to close.
Gamestop needs to look for ways to maintain its investors’ stock price while improving its financials, thus furthering its growth. Acquiring Esports Entertainment would be a unique opportunity for Gamestop as it has 2 million users on its platform and over 1000 locations.
Esports Entertainment has many other strengths that could be appealing to Gamestop should an opportunity present itself. Helix eSports, which eSports Entertainment acquired, owns two of the five eSport entertainment centers in the United States. They also own ggCurcuit.
There are three important aspects when looking at the wagering part of Esports, which are real money wagering, fantasy sports, and player vs. player.
Esports Entertainment is just getting started. They see how Skillz and DraftKings stock price and evaluation have gone up over the last six months to a year. It is safe to say that Esports Entertainment is just getting started. Should Gamestop acquire (GMBL), the financials and the potential growth will keep many investors happen in the long-run.
