North American esports organisation OpTic Gaming has entered a partnership with clothing manufacturer Champion.

The one-year deal will see the two parties work together “on a number of projects”, including the creation of co-branded apparel.

Joe Hills, Head of Brand Strategy for OpTic Gaming discussed the deal in a statement: “The awesome OpTic community, the Green Wall, is all about style and confidence, and just like their name says, Champion comes from a legacy of winners dating back a hundred years. It’s a perfect fit.

“Working this closely with Champion is a huge deal for us, because it means that the OpTic community is helping to push mainstream awareness of esports in popular culture, and it’s a show of faith for Champion, who want to co-brand their apparel to a community of passionate and loyal fans from all over the world.”

The collaboration between OpTic Gaming and Champion commences on March 1st with co-branded t-shirts, hoodies, long sleeve t-shirts, and jerseys being made available both online and in select Champion retail stores. The partnership will enter an “unprecedented retail activation” in Q2 of 2019, and more collaborative apparel will be released in Q3.

Matt Waterman, General Manager at Champion also commented: “Since the 1919 founding of Champion Athleticwear, we have always been looking to the future of sports apparel. This rich tradition continues with this collaboration with our dynamic and winning partners at OpTic Gaming. Alongside the creative team at OpTic, we’ll be creating clothing that appeals to all esports and gaming enthusiasts, and a style that brings the same energy that OpTic brings to every match.”

OpTic Gaming was announced as a partner of MTN DEW AMP Game Fuel in December last year, and has since launched a content series titled ‘Fuel Royale’. In the same month, the organisation tapped We Are Nations to produce its jerseys.

This isn’t Champion’s first rodeo in esports, having already partnered with the likes of NBA 2K League, Renegades, Dignitas, RMU Eagles, and PlayVS. It has also worked with Fnatic and FaZe Clan on one-off products.

Epsorts Insider says: The charm of Champion partnering with an organisation has slightly worn off since it’s becoming such a regular occurrence, but that’s actually a promising sign. The clothing giant is betting big on esports and partnering with OpTic Gaming is definitely one way of giving it a proper go.