Riot Games has announced that KitKat will be a main partner across several of its League of Legends tournaments in Europe.
KitKat will be a main partner of the LEC and EU Masters through to 2023, and of the Continental League (LCL), 12 European Regional Leagues (ERLs) – including UK/Nordics league the NLC. This makes KitKat the first confectionary brand partner of the NLC.
“This makes KitKat one of the farthest reaching partners we’ve ever had, and we couldn’t be happier to have them with us,” Riot said in a press release.
KitKat originally joined the LEC a partner of the LEC 2020 spring finals, and Riot says its core message, ‘Take a Break’ is ‘a great reminder for our viewers to find some room to breathe in all the excitement of the LEC, turning technical pauses into an opportunity for fans to rest and gather their energy to keep on supporting their team for the rest of the match’.
International sports business agency Sportfive facilitated the initial partnership between KitKat and Riot Games, while Sportfive subsidiary Build a Rocket was the gaming and esports activation agency that helped with the latest deal.
“KitKat is now becoming one of the most important partners of esports in Europe. Following the extension of the partnership to European language broadcasts, this summer will showcase the partnership across 12 ERLs.”
Zeynep Gencaga, Riot Games
“It’s a pleasure to be working with a team that is truly passionate about esports. KitKat pursues a clear esports strategy in which the community is approached in a media-appropriate and authentic style on all relevant channels,” says Georg Fischer, marketing manager for KitKat Europe.
“The potential for non-endemic brands across esports and gaming is diverse and still largely untapped. We are very happy to bring the successful partnership with Riot Games to a new level.”
“We are delighted to present KitKat as a new partner for the NLC,” added Stephan Schroeder, senior VP of global brand partnerships EMEA at ESL Gaming. “Their engagement and dedication bring esports closer to a broader audience. As a non-endemic brand within the portfolio, KitKat sets itself apart as they have recognised the value of competitive gaming and we are excited to kick off our joint journey.”
“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with KitKat for LEC and welcome them on board to European Masters as one of our main partners through a multi-year deal,” added Zeynep Gencaga, senior business development manager for esports EMEA at Riot Games.
“After a creative entry into the scene through a pilot by supporting the LEC breaks, KitKat is now becoming one of the most important partners of esports in Europe. Following the extension of the partnership to European language broadcasts, this summer will showcase the partnership across 12 ERLs. It’s a pleasure to be working with the team over at KitKat, who are committed to creating meaningful moments and engaging content for our fans.”
The LEC returns on June 11th.
Some team rosters for the Summer 2021 NLC have been revealed over the past few weeks – we’ll be back with a roundup article soon.
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Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
