Socios Esports, powered by cryptocurrency company chiliZ, has committed to expanding its presence in the esports industry by launching a sponsorship programme aimed at Fortnite and PUBG teams.

Nine teams have been selected for the programme by Socios Esports, fans will able to vote from their favourite team from December 3rd-17th. Each team will produce a 60-second video that serves as an introduction and will give reasoning as to why they should receive sponsorship.

Alexandre Dreyfus, CEO of Socios Esports discussed the initiative: “This sponsorship programme represents our commitment and passion for esports. With Socios.com, and Socios Esports, our goal is to change the way esports and sports organisations connect and engage with fans. We want to both support and grow small and medium-sized teams, and in turn, help the ecosystem grow in a healthy, sustainable way.”

The nine teams that will take part are 3DMAX, Barrage Esports, Conquer Gaming, Copenhagen Flames, Enclave Gaming, Endpoint, NSG, Sensei Esports, and Vexed. The top three teams will receive six-month sponsorships based on their placements in the vote. First place receives €25,000, second place gets €20,000, and third place earns €15,000.

Tom Pickering, Esports Manager for Socios Esports added: “I’ve been an esports fan since the start of Quake and can remember when, despite all the challenges they faced, grassroots teams just kept on pushing forward. At Socios.com, we see the potential in many up-and-coming teams, and want to support the entire esports ecosystem by helping grassroots as well as more established teams to grow stronger foundations. Fan engagement is the ultimate goal, and with this project, it’s the fans who decide who receives the sponsorship – they get the final word.”

The funds received from the sponsorship are required to be spent on each organisation’s respective Fortnite or PUBG roster, including expenses such as player salaries, coaching coasts, and marketing.

Esports Insider says: With Battle Royale emerging as a popular genre in esports – whether or not the majority believe it’s as good as other genres – this seems like a good time for Socios Esports to get more involved in the industry. The teams in the programme are all smaller in size and will definitely appreciate the money – it’s nice to see them receive some support.