Esports organization Misfits Gaming, which the Heat acquired a stake in last year, has signed a comprehensive partnership with computer hardware company Alienware that also extends to activations alongside the NBA team. The deal covers several key endemic esports categories, giving the company exclusivity with Misfits across desktops, laptops, monitors, mice, keyboard and mousepads, as well as serving as its official training and analytics partner.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]While the deal will focus around supporting Misfits’ esports athletes in-game, it will also include activation around Heat games.[/perfectpullquote]

Traditionally, many of those rights have been broken up across multiple partners. Misfits Gaming CEO Ben Spoont declined to comment on the financial terms of the deal. While the deal will focus around supporting Misfits’ esports athletes in-game, it will also include activation around Heat games.

In October, the Heat held a gaming night alongside a home game at the AmericanAirlines Arena. Misfits and Alienware held a meet and greet at halftime, Misfits gear was distributed to those in attendance and Alienware laptops were showcases in one of the arena plazas. This deal, negotiated directly between the Misfits and Alienware, was born out of that event, Spoont said. Spoont said he expects at least one more Heat gaming night to take place the remainder of this season, with multiple others next season.

While the deal will cover all Misfits gamers and teams, including its European League of Legends team, it will not include the Heat’s “NBA2K” team nor the Overwatch League team it owns. Alienware will also not be a partner of the Heat.

Ian Thomas is a staff writer for SportsBusiness Daily, where this article appeared first: https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2018/02/21/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/Heat-Esports.aspx