Comcast's Xfinity brand has jumped into e-sports, signing one-year category sponsorship deals with tournament organizer ESL’s North America division and the multi-game team franchise Evil Geniuses. As part of the team deal, Comcast will outfit Evil Geniuses' training facilities in Alameda, Calif., and Urbana, Ill., with Gigabit Pro internet service and its primary video product, Xfinity X1. Comcast will also help create and develop online content with the team and ESL, said Comcast Exec Dir of Sports Brand Marketing Matt Lederer. He said the content will be an important part of the internet and cable provider’s bid to be seen as authentic by passionate e-sports fans. “It's about helping esports fans get closer to the sport that they love, and really leaning into the idea of making sure we can message that Xfinity will change the way you can experience gaming,” Lederer said. Xfinity will be known as the official entertainment partner and the official internet provider of Evil Geniuses. Event signage and branding is included in the deal with ESL, including at the Halo Championship Series: Pro League Season 1 tonight and this weekend’s Heroes of the Storm Live Finals in L.A. This is the first domestic sponsorship at this level for ESL North America, CEO Craig Levine said. Levine said the company will hopefully open new doors as a bridge between endemic gaming product manufacturers and general-interest consumer brands they hope to sign in the future. Lederer said Comcast looked forward to marketing to an audience that is especially acute to product differences in Internet service. Terms were not disclosed.
