Mountain Dew is finally throwing its hat into the esports sponsorship ring. The Pepsico brand will lend its support simultaneously to three of the industry’s biggest names – Team Dignitas, Splyce and SK Gaming.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Players and influencers will create exclusively streamed content for the Mountain Dew Twitch channel.[/perfectpullquote]

Described as an “industry-first partnership” and “authentic integration” by Mountain Dew global senior marketing director Manos Spanos, the partnership means that the soft drink’s logo will appear on all team’s individual jerseys, jackets and webspaces.

Moreover, players and influencers from each organisation will be involved in creating exclusively streamed content for the Mountain Dew Twitch channel.

Though it’s the first time Mountain Dew has endorsed individual teams, the drink’s familiar green glow can already be found in the esports ecosystem. The Mountain Dew League, which ESEA has been running since last year, has European and North American Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players competing for a spot in the ESL Pro League. This joint venture actually took home the Esports Sponsor Activation Award at the 2017 Cynopsis World eSports Summit.

The parent brand, PepsiCo, has previously tested esports waters with its other products; Optic Gaming is sponsored by Turtle Wax and Brisk ice tea, and the latter brand is also promoted through the Rocket League Championship Series.

PepsiCo’s careful choice of new teams to sponsor gives them a broad global presence in esports. Team Dignitas houses one of the top NA LCS squads, and is owned and managed by the Philadelphia 76’ers. This makes Mountain Dew the first corporate partner to sponsor both an NBA basketball team and its esport subsidary.

Chad Biggs, SVP of Corporate Partnership and Activation for the 76’ers, said:

“ESports fans and players are incredibly savvy and strategically minded – they understand the incredible resources, increased media exposure, marketing and opportunity for improved technology that traditional sports advertisers – especially those who pursue authentic activation, like Mountain Dew – can bring to the space.”

Germany-based SK Gaming already has the support of non-endemic brand VISA, and provides Mountain Dew’s only sponsorship so far of a Vainglory team. It’s also the first non-endemic sponsor deal for Splyce, who hosts teams in multiple countries across the world.