Seven NHL corporate partners will activate around the upcoming ’19 NHL Gaming World Championships, the esports competition that the league launched last year. The tournament will hold Canadian, European and U.S. regional finals later this month that will all be broadcast live on Twitch, in addition to a 30-minute pre-show as well as giveaways and promotions for viewers who tune in. Those regional events will culminate with a grand world final taking place in Las Vegas on June 18, at the Allied Esports’ HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas. Broadcast details for the final have yet to be announced. Honda and Scotiabank, who sponsored the inaugural tournament, will both return again this year. Honda, which also sponsored the NHL’s House of Chel esports activation at the ’19 All-Star Game weekend, will sponsor the "Road to the Finals" interview area across the entire tournament. Scotiabank, which is a Canadian-only NHL sponsor, will hold a viewer vote during the Canadian regional event that will award a competitor and a fan with a trip to Las Vegas for the event.
THE NEW GUYS: New sponsors for the NHL Gaming World Championship include Adidas, Astro Gaming, Brisk, Great Clips and MGM Resorts. Adidas will be the official outfitter of the tournament, with exclusive jackets and caps for the finalists. Astro Gaming, the lone esports-endemic partner of the event, will provide controllers and headphones for the players. PepsiCo-brand Brisk will be available to players on-site at the Canadian and world final. Great Clips, which became an NHL sponsor in April, will host a friends and family cheering zone at the U.S. and world final events, as well as provide on-site haircuts and stylings to players and the on-air talent.
