First off I want to specify exactly what I mean by “eSports Sponsorship”. I don’t mean that you play League of Legends, Halo, Call of Duty or any other eSports game for that matter, and are allowed to list an Organization as a sponsor. That is not what I’m talking about in this post. If that is your idea of a sponsorship, there are TONS out there that will simply love to do this for whatever free promotion they can have. I know if you asked to list ProGamerHub on your social media or channels, I’m sure you’d be allowed, especially asking for nothing in return.

While I’m not saying this is absolutely useless and a bad thing, I’m just pointing out that it’s not the type of sponsor we are talking about in this article. We are talking about things you should be expecting to get in return.

1. Product Sponsorship

This is the most common sponsor. A sponsor that will provide you with their product. This can come in a couple different ways depending on how big the sponsor is, AND how big you are. No, I don’t mean in shirt size, I mean how big you are in your game. A sponsor is in no way going to dish out a huge sponsorship just because that’s what you’re applying for, you have to earn it.

A Semi Product Sponsorship The word semi is being used for lack of a better term. What it means is, NOT a “Full” product sponsor. This is when you will receive products here and there and not be completely open to receiving ALL your sponsors products. For example, let’s say your sponsor was Razer but you didn’t have a “Full” product sponsorship, they might send you a keyboard and mouse, but not a complete set-up just yet. A Full Product Sponsorship This is more common among larger sponsors. If you or your team are “the real deal”, you can expect to be getting a deal like this one. Generally when something like this happens you’ll be given a complete rig, but like Razer for example, you’ll also be expected to be exclusive to their gear.

2. Cash Sponsorship

This is much more rare. Even if you or your team is completely established and already made a name for itself, most sponsors are going to want to give the sponsorship a trial period before you see any cash. So unless you’re coming into the application with the name TSM or Optic Gaming, you’re most likely not going to see cash right off the bat. There is still a chance to be re-evaluated in the future, depending on how well your team is doing, but that is up to you and the sponsor to agree upon.

3. Marketing Sponsorship

This one is a little sticky. Like I mentioned before, I’m not talking about sponsorship’s that simply ask you to put their name somewhere, and in return you get to be called a sponsored gamer. This section is more geared towards bigger names that will actually allow you to surge forward in eSports because of the name they are putting behind you. This also means you will likely be able to be seen on that organizations social media as well. This type of sponsor is usually a two way street. They give you more exposure, while you are part of their team, and also letting people know you’re sponsored by them. Generally, this comes hand in hand with the other sponsorship’s and will normally not be a stand-alone.

Ending Thoughts

I will also be writing another article in the future that better entails what a sponsor will be expecting from you, but for now you can check out these articles for more tips:

–How to get a Gaming Sponsorship!

–What NOT TO DO When Applying for a Gaming Sponsorship

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