Boston-based fantasy sports drafting giant DraftKings will announce a sponsorship deal for six of the leading esports organizations across North America and Europe today. The deal will primarily focus on organizations established in the League of Legends space, as the partnership will also allow for League fantasy gaming on the Draft Kings site.
The six esports organizations—believed to be a multi-million dollar deal brokered by the esports talent agency IMG—are Cloud9, Team SoloMid, Counter Logic Gaming, SK Gaming, CompLexity Gaming, and Mousesports.
“Esports is one of the world’s most popular spectator sports, and we are excited to introduce League of Legends to our industry-leading fantasy platform as a way to bring fans worldwide closer to the game,” said Matt Kalish, DraftKings’s CRO and co-founder. “Our partnerships with Cloud 9, TSM, CLG, SK Gaming, compLexity Gaming, and Mousesports show our strong commitment to the eSports space, and our desire to work with top teams and players to support and help grow this booming space.”
Draft Kings will also begin offering fantasy esports contests on Oct. 1, 2015 with the start of the League of Legends World Championships. Participants will be able to play for free or compete against others in cash prize leagues, including a $3 entry fee contest featuring $25,000 in prizes.
