Verizon has signed a multi-year agreement with the League of Legends Championship Series, which will see the telecom become the official 5G wireless and network service partner for Riot Games’ North American League of Legends league. The partnership will go into effect today as matches for the summer split get underway.
Additionally, Verizon becomes the presenting partner for broadcasts of Academy Rush, which covers the league’s secondary competition, LCS Academy.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
The partnership announcement was delayed by Riot and Verizon when it was discovered that Ron Johnson, the now former global head of consumer products for the company, posted controversial images on Facebook related to the death of George Floyd that mentioned his criminal record. Riot Games then issued a statement saying the company would be conducting an investigation.
The investigation ended with the firing of Johnson.
According to a report by Protocol the deal with Verizon had been “threatened” due to the situation surrounding Johnson. When contacted by The Esports Observer, a Riot Games spokesperson said that the deal had been completed and signed weeks ago and that both parties agreed to delay the announcement while Riot focused on the investigation. Revealing a sponsorship agreement before the investigation was complete did not seem appropriate, the spokesperson said.
Earlier this year, Verizon and Dignitas announced the creation of a training facility in Los Angeles which would also serve as the headquarters for the organization.
