The Esports World Cup, the esports and gaming event currently taking place in Saudi Arabia and organised by the Esports World Cup Foundation, has announced two partnerships.
The partnerships are with Saudi-based Jameel Motorsport and with global ecommerce company Amazon, both are aimed at activations during the Esports World Cup and promotion of the esports event.
The Esports World Cup is currently underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and will feature almost two dozen esports tournaments with a total prize pool of over $60m (~£47m). The event has drawn controversy from critics due to its connections to the Saudi Arabian government, which has faced criticism for its human rights record, but is poised to be one of the largest esports and gaming events in the world regardless.
The two large-scale partnerships were announced just in time for the start of the event. The Amazon deal makes the American commerce platform, and one of the world’s most important businesses, the official ecommerce partner for the Esports World Cup. As a part of the deal, Amazon’s Saudi and UAE websites will advertise the Esports World Cup through a special Esports World Cup Hub, with special offers and information on the event.
Visitors that buy tickets for the Esports World Cup will also get Amazon discount codes, and Amazon Alexa owners will also be able to ask their digital assistants Esports World Cup-related questions.
The second partnership announced is with Jameel Motorsport, a part of Abdul Latif Jameel Motors. The automotive retailer and mobility company will host a number of activations during the Esports World Cup, such as karting, VR racing and other exhibits.
The company will open a ‘Jameel Motorsport Park’, a segment of the Esports World Cup where fans can take part in motorsport-related activities. Visitors will also be able to buy merchandise co-branded by Jameel Motorsport and its partners, Toyota and its motorsport department Gazoo Racing (GR).
The two new partners join a large roster of commercial sponsors for the Esports World Cup. These include the likes of apparel and sportswear brand Adidas, social media platform TikTok, Pepsi, Unilever and HONOR, and many others.