Riot Games this morning will reveal a new in-game digital signage system for League of Legends Esports, giving it a fresh ability to deliver branding exposure for sponsors in a move from the traditional sports playbook.
The new branding system will debut during the current Summer Split portion of the season and be called Summoner’s Rift arena branding; Summoner’s Rift is the fictional battlefield upon which League of Legends’ five-on-five game is played.
Mastercard and Alienware are the first two League of Legends esports sponsors to sign up for the in-game branding, and Riot Games has given the ability for each of its 12 regional leagues to have different sponsors in the game. The new signage will only appear to viewers of the esports competitions, whereas Riot has constructed the new ad product in a way where the actual players won’t see the branding. This is a bid to keep the competitive integrity of the esport. Riot worked with Nielsen to help evaluate the in-game branding, and the L.A.-based publisher says the data shows that it will instantly become one of its most valuable deliverable assets.
Riot Games Head of Global Esports Partnerships Naz Aletaha: “From our live events, to our online broadcasts, we strive to define modern sports by continuously innovating how audiences experience League of Legends. For the first time in League history, SR Arena Banners put our partners’ brands directly on the field of play, creating an immersive experience that echoes the energy found in major sports arenas.”
Mastercard Chief Marketing & Communications Officer Raja Rajamannar added: “Mastercard was the first global partner of League of Legends Esports because it connects with so many people around the world who are passionate about the game. This evolution continues to help us reach fans in contextually relevant ways, where they are doing the things they love most.”
For more from Aletaha on the new branding product, see tomorrow’s new SBJ Esports newsletter.
