Verizon Inks Three-Year Sponsorship Deal For Riot Games’ ‘League Of Legends’ Championships

Telecom giant Verizon has announced today a multi-year sponsorship deal in the esports space, signing on as a sponsor for Riot Games’ League Of Legends championship series (LCS).

LCS is the top level of pro play for League in the United States and Canada, comprising ten teams and organized by Riot. For the next three years, Verizon will serve as the official 5G network for LCS play, according to the company. The pact kicks off with Verizon’s sponsorship of the summer season, starting today, including a segment called Academy Rush, featuring minor league play, as well as post-match interview segments.

This isn’t the first time that Verizon has ventured into the gaming realm, having most recently hosted Pay It Forward Live

— a weekly music and gaming streaming series that sought to raise money for small businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The 10-week project garnered 90 million views — including 40 million views of gaming events starring esports luminaries, such as the FaZe Clan, Verizon said. Additionally, Verizon launched a so-called 5G Lab in Los Angeles that it says marks the nation’s first 5G esports training facility.

The LCS was founded by Riot in 2013. Competing teams for the summer season include 100 Thieves, Cloud9, Counter Logic Gaming, Dignitas, Evil Geniuses, FlyQuest, Golden Guardians, Immortals, Team Liquid, and Team SoloMid. The event airs on LoL Esports, YouTube, and Twitch.