TNL ESPORTS BRAND TRACKER 011: Dolby and eSports Arena
(Photo: eSports Arena)
TNL Take: More new Brands make their first foray into eSports and this time it's Dolby sponsoring a $10,000 Overwatch Tournament at the eSports Arena in Orange County.
Few things to note:
- It may not be a coincidence but Dolby’s Atmos 3D Audio technology is integrated within Overwatch and let gamers “play by sound” like hearing distant footsteps. Sponsoring a tournament open to the public helps message this unique feature.
- For Overwatch to get a Brand partner just days after launch shows the massive potential for this game. I believe Overwatch will be big in 2017 and another eSports franchise for Activision-Blizzard.
- Dolby’s Headphone technology is integrated into many gaming headsets; most notably Astro and Turtle Beach which have long supported eSports. This opens the opportunity for mainstream brands like Beats, Bose, Shure, Skullcandy, Sony, and JVC to also target this audience.
Sennheiser has been very active in the space and previously sponsored the ESL Guild Wars Pro League, team sponsorships starting in 2007, and current top teams G2, Alliance, and mousespots.
Monster has also announced a partnership with the original eSports pro Fatal1ty.