North American lifestyle brand Oakley has announced a partnership with esports organisation Envy Gaming.
As part of the deal, all teams and talent under the OpTic brand will exclusively wear Oakley eyewear during competitive play online and at LAN events.
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Moreover, Oakley will become a jersey sponsor for OpTic’s Halo and VALORANT teams, as well as OpTic Texas in the Call of Duty League.
Corey Hill, Head of Global Sports Marketing at Oakley, commented: “The world of esports is continuing to grow and It’s key that we continue to level up our commitment to the world of gaming.
“New athletes are showing up in the scene every day and we pride ourselves in making sure we provide advanced eyewear for gamers of every level. Teaming up with a partner like Envy Gaming allows Oakley to reach talent and build on our offerings in the space.”
Oakley recently launched an eyeglasses collection designed specifically for gamers, NXTLVL. OpTic’s team and talent will also wear the NXTLVL glasses as they’re engineered to fit well with gaming peripherals and also protect the eyes from blue light.
The collaboration with Envy Gaming will be Oakley’s first sponsorship with an esports team as the brand looks to further cement its name in the space. The lifestyle brand previously signed professional Call of Duty player Seth ‘Scump’ Abner as its first esports athlete.
Adam Rymer, CEO of Envy Gaming, added: “Oakley’s commitment to creating positive change, disruption, and the innovative spirit they bring to their products and partnerships is a great fit for what we embody. As more and more athletes, celebrities, musicians, and entertainers – look no further than Oakley’s roster of athletes – turn to gaming as a pastime and competitive outlet, we see an endless runway of opportunities for our partnership.”
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In 2021, OpTic Gaming and Envy Gaming announced a merger that now sees both entities operate under a joint brand. Since then Envy Gaming has entered into partnerships with Razer and the*gameHERs.
Esports Insider says: After Oakley dipped its toes in esports and gaming by signing Seth ‘Scump’ Abner in 2021, the lifestyle brand has now decided to strengthen its connection to the industry. Oakley managed to secure a partnership with esports giant Envy Gaming and became its official eyewear partner, expanding its reach within esports. It will be interesting to see if Oakley’s next steps in its attempt to become the go-to eyewear sponsor for esports teams and organisations.