ExxonMobil renews sponsorship with Rocket League Championship Series—because cars

Twitch and Rocket League developer Psyonix have renewed a sponsorship deal with ExxonMobil for both seasons three and four of the Rocket League Championship Series.

And that’s kind of weird, until you consider that Rocket League is a game about cars. And cars need oil and gas. Pushing its Mobil 1 automotive lubricant, ExxonMobil wants to expand on the success it saw with the Mobil 1 High Performance Replay segment that featured highlights from Rocket League Championship Series matches.

“Having a blue-chip brand like Mobil 1 involved in the Rocket League Championship Series is a huge priority this year,” Twitch director of global esports sponsorships Nathan Lindberg said in a statement. “As the business of esports is still in its nascent stages, sponsorship renewals with non-endemic companies are still very rare. This makes the continued commitment from a marquee brand like Mobil 1 both an achievement and a noteworthy indication of where the industry is heading.”

But is there really a return on ExxonMobil’s investment? Are these branded segments really driving Mobil 1 sales? ExxonMobil says yes. A valuation study conducted by market researcher Repucom reported a rise in “brand favorability and brand preference by viewers of the Rocket League Championship Series.”

“Offering a high-octane motorsport and soccer, with an emphasis on car customization and performance, Rocket League is a perfect fit for Mobil 1,” Exxon Mobil’s global brand manager, Pablo Conrad, said in a statement.

Rocket League Championship Series season three is the biggest one yet, with a prize pool of $300,000—up from $250,000 last season. The World Championship concludes in Los Angeles in June, and ExxonMobil will be there, that’s for sure.