Champion Athleticwear Signs Its 1st Esports Sponsorship With Team Dignitas

Champion Athleticwear has been around since 1919, but is still pushing to become more relevant in the sports world day-by-day. Its newest attempt to grow its presence in the “athletics” industry is to enter into a partnership with Team Dignitas, an esports team founded in 2003 and partnered with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The deal between Champion and Team Dignitas will make Champion the official jersey, casual wear and athletic wear provider of the esports team and allow Champion to manage its online sales distribution. It marks the first time that Champion has involved itself in an esports sponsorship.

Champion is certainly interested in capturing the attention of millennials as it rebrands and readies for its launch of a new line of apparel in Fall 2018. Associating with an esports team makes sense, because it will not only provide Champion exposure for its design marks, but also display the actual product on the players as they attract the attention of spectators in-person and through popular streaming services such as Twitch.

The deal between Team Dignitas and Champion is for multiple years. It includes the development of a Team Dignitas-branded women’s apparel line.

“The opportunity to partner with the apparel company that pioneered one of the most essential retail pieces in any esports player and fan’s wardrobe — the hoodie — is truly appropriate,” says Team Dignitas CEO Michael Prindiville. “Champion and Team Dignitas are uniquely aligned in the trajectory of our businesses. Champion’s recent reemergence into pop culture mirrors Team Dignitas’ incredible renaissance in fan popularity and dominance in competition.”

The new relationship is not only about catering to the millennial, but also the female consumer. Champion says that it is focused on partnering to create more opportunities for women in gaming, which makes the deal a good fit for Team Dignitas since the team has one of the best women’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive teams in the world.