Events organiser ESL Gaming has agreed a three-year renewal of its sponsorship deal with technology company Intel, marking the longest-running commercial arrangement in the esports industry.
The extension, which gets underway in 2022 and runs until 2025, will see the two organisations invest more than $100 million in esports to bring ‘further product innovations further product innovations and improvements for fans and players alike’.
Furthermore, under the terms of the agreement, all non-league ESL Pro Tour circuit CS:GO tournaments will be rebranded under Intel’s Extreme Masters brand, including ESL One Cologne. The collaboration has also been expanded to include the DreamHack Open and DramHack Festivals for the first time.
Ralf Reichert, Co-Chief Executive at ESL Gaming, noted: “After 20 years of building something hand in hand it’s hard to consider Intel as merely a partner. The two-decade journey has forged a bond that has no parallel in the world of esports and we are excited to be extending it with a commitment of this magnitude; the next three years will be the greatest esports fans have seen yet.”
ESL Gaming and Intel first joined forces when the technology giant sponsored ESL’s first events in Germany before the collaboration turned into a global deal in 2006, with Intel taking the official title sponsorship of the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM).
The latest renewal builds on the 2016 agreement which saw Intel become ESL’s global technical partner.
“When we joined forces with ESL two decades ago, we never imagined just how powerful this partnership could be,” added Marcus Kennedy, General Manager of Gaming and Esports Segment for Intel. “We’ve shaped the esports landscape together, collaborated on some of the most spectacular events in the world, and brought the very best esports experiences to millions of fans around the globe.
“As a leader in PC gaming, we at Intel are excited about this next step in our successful history together and to elevate esports to an even higher level.”
