Experiments With Google's Contextual Advertising

Intel Sponsoring Video Game Players

from the video-games-move-towards-professional-sports dept

Wed, Jul 2nd 2003 1:12am — Mike Masnick

As video games get bigger and bigger, they're going to become increasingly similar to professional sports. And, of course, one way athletes make money is through sponsorships and endorsements. In the video gaming world, Intel has now jumped into this market by agreeing to a sponsorship deal with an 18-year-old video gaming champ. The guy has apparently won international competitions in Unreal Tournament, and Intel will expect him to use and promote Intel-based equipment at competitions over the next year. The real turning point will be when a non-technology, consumer products company decides to sponsor a video game champion.

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19 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 2 Jul 2003 @ 6:40am

No Subject Given
Seems like Pepsi would be a natural sponsor. "Need to frag a few thousand foes,,, you need the Fiend in Caffiene, Have a dew and Do them all and let god sort them out"

Or maybe a gun company ? Friends at school got you pissed off ? Is your life shit ? After 8 hours of Unreal an our semi-automatic M24, they'll be sorry. Oh yeah, so sorry.
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Anonymous Coward, 2 Jul 2003 @ 8:50am

Re: No Subject Given
Yes, I'm sure there will be tens of people who recognize this kid.

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mil, 2 Jul 2003 @ 4:15pm

No Subject Given
ive lanned with im
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Pegasus, 12 Aug 2003 @ 8:51pm

Sponcership
Man, I would love to be able to do something like that. Does anyone have any information on how to do this???
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someone, 13 May 2005 @ 6:18am

sponsorships
is there any way to get sponored for playing unrealchampionchip2? i am currently 42-9 in capture the flag, and i have a awesome team.
i would love to get sponsored with my team, and play in turny's, if u have any info plz email me..

kenshi1988@yahoo.com

someone
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Ladyof_fate, 15 Mar 2006 @ 10:54am

girls in games
Surprisingly i am an attractive 22 year old, bad ass brunette, video game player. (yes that is my title) I would love to compete with other girls or guys on a team or individual and im looking for sponsors but i dont really know what the first step in this process is. I live in denver, any suggestions?
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OPs_CaRBiNE, 23 Mar 2006 @ 7:57pm

I am sponsored for Ghost Recon... its nothing big cuz the game isnt to popularized yet but so far we've (as a team) won 600$ and are in a couple other pending tourneys. Depending on what you play (console or PC) and what games, im sure it will be different on ways of finding a sponsorship. Our sponsor isnt some HUGE company its a website run by the people we (ghost recon players) have been playing with since day 1. Well the only advice i can think of is finding sites that have ladders for you so you can get i competitions and then after youre good enough start e-mailing companies. Ironically i found this site looking for a sponsor!! (OPs play Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter for the 360, any interest check out our site listed below)

www.wwg4me.com
www.gr3.wwgusa.com
www.ops.wwgteams.com
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ToneTone, 6 Jul 2006 @ 7:26pm

the truth
I only play one game. Super smash bro and im the truth. Being signed would be that deal but i really just want to fight in a tournament if anyone knows of any giv me a buz at lilrok@sbcglobal.net and i play the tenor drum and at cooley high school in detroit and i can chop up any one who wants some. but yea hit me up.
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Ian Nowland, 29 Jan 2007 @ 10:19am

sponser my team please we live in Wild rose we have a good Halo2 team we are not asking for money just frre gear
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Radi, 22 Nov 2007 @ 8:49pm

videogameplay
i am looking for a sponsor write nao with my team we havent won nothing big but we are very good and we should be sponsord by someone we have won aganst pros but we never won a tornament but we think we could we one
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ALostCauze, 23 May 2008 @ 6:06pm

You guys should sponsor my Halo 3 team for MLG San Diego, Orlando, and/or Dallas. :D

But RedBull and lots of other places already sponsor gamers.
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Griffin, 31 Jul 2008 @ 10:58pm

Call of duty 4 sponsor xbox360
I am one of the most known gamers. I've been in many clans. I-TeaM 269-39. sR 221-15. TC 69-1. i will put on the forums and in my bio about you. and a lot of peple look on forums and my bio. please aim me at balla41895 or email me at balla41895@aim.com
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Dustin, 27 Oct 2008 @ 7:35pm

CoD4 Sponsorship.
Team is trying to find sponsorship very very good. E-Mail if interested or have any suggestions just_dust69@hotmail.com
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Ashley, 5 Feb 2009 @ 7:48pm

Help
Okay so i really am in need of a Sponsor..can anyone help???
E-mail me at Broken.Child@hotmail.com
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David Arnold Gamertag KlassiKidd3, 31 Aug 2009 @ 4:22pm

Sponsorship
I'm in a pretty tight spot I am pretty good madden and NCAA and I need a sponsorship soon! I need one I'm good enough to go far in some tourny's contact if interested...
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Fae, 18 Apr 2010 @ 1:08am

Sponsorship - The Facts
There are only a handful of titles played at a professional level, they are...

FPS Titles

Call of Duty
Counterstrike
Day of Defeat
Halo
Quake
Team Fortress 2
Unreal Tournament

RTS Titles

Starcraft 1 & 2
Warcraft 3
Defense of the Ancients (Custom game for Warcraft 3)

MMO Title

World of Warcraft

If you play any of those titles, and think you're at a professional level... Bubble burst, you're probably not. Unless you've won consecutive real-money tournaments for one of the above titles you have a long ways to go before reaching sponsorship. Even then, sponsorship is as much knowing how to promote yourself as it is winning the games. You can be the best player in the world, but if you are not a marketable image, no company is going to sponsor you.

I'm at a semi-pro level in Starcraft, I've played in several tournaments, and won many. I'm a platinum league player in the Starcraft 2 beta. Despite all this, in comparison to an actual professional level Starcraft player, the difference in skill level is worlds apart.

If you are truly serious about going for sponsorship, you need to find the top community sites for your game, connect with other players after the same thing, and most of all... Recognize the kind of commitment you need to put into it to even have a remote chance. There is nothing worse than being dragged down by a team-mate who wasn't serious.

You can google around to find the various sites, that will also likely offer a lot of information on the games for you learn from.

Starcraft - Teamliquid.net
World of Warcraft - www.arenajunkies.com/

And a general site that may, or may not have useful information for your game...

http://www.gotfrag.com/

You can read about the various professional and semi-professional gaming leagues here...

http://wiki.gotfrag.com/index.php?title=ESports

Hope that provides some insight / information to everyone, and doesn't crush too many dreams.
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Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2010 @ 7:04pm

looking for sponsor
i need a sponsor so if your a sponsor looking for some team my team is named no fear we are currently 13-0 we well gladly spread and rep are sponsers and get in compotitions and rep the sponsor if you intrested in my clan email me at maddog6104@yahoo.com or messageme on xbox live my gamer tage is ARMYxXxOFxXxTWO
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SoldiersFromChaos, 21 Jun 2010 @ 1:20pm

Sponsorships
I am one of the leaders in a very large community we have our own web site. soldiersfromchaos.com.... we are currently in the process of getting some sponsors and advertisement anyone have any ideas where to start?
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Jason Rogers, 12 Feb 2012 @ 6:22am

Clan zG
My clan zG is a new trickshotting and kill feeding clan we play call of duty modern warfare 2 and modern warfare 3 and our YouTube is thezgproject we have been a clan for maybe 2 weeks now and getting a sponsor would help us out
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