Chipotle has signed on to sponsor three major esports events this year and launch its own branded competition property, the Chipotle Challenger Series. In deals with both DreamHack and ESL, sister subsidiaries of the Swedish conglomerate MTG, the fast food brand will become the official partner of DreamHack Masters Dallas from May 31-June 2, as well as presenting partner of DreamHack Open Atlanta Nov. 15-17 and Intel Extreme Masters: Chicago, dates to be determined. The Chipotle Challenger Series will consist of on-site amateur esports tournaments open to all attendees of the Dallas and Atlanta events. Chipotle will sponsor the players’ lounges at all three events. It also will provide the winners with prizes.
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Chipotle Manager/Experiential & Partnerships Scott Robinson said the deals add new depth to the brand’s role in esports. Chipotle has sponsored OpTic Gaming and TSM in the past. “The Chipotle Challenger Series allows us to support new gamers, amateur gamers and professional gamers with an exciting addition to the event landscape,” he said. ESL Senior VP/Brand Partnerships Paul Brewer, who handled the deal for both properties, said the challenger series is the “very fabric of esports with DreamHack and ESL, where everyone from professional to amateur gamers can be involved."
REV/XP, the gaming/esports agency sister agency of Chicago-based rEvolution, handled the deal for Chipotle and will manage strategy, creative design and experiential production. Co-Founder and Senior VP Dan Ciccone said the program is structured to give Chipotle an audience in a variety of gaming interests and reward fans that “get directly involved” in events.
