Media giant Sky UK getting involved in international esports

26 September 2022

More and more major consumer brands are finding their ways into the international esports industry. Recently, for example, we wrote about streaming service Spotify teaming up with ESL for the German-speaking market, and about global banking conglomerate Banco Santander becoming the main sponsor of the largest professional League of Legends competitions in Europe and Latin America. These are examples of big deals worth millions of dollars and the most recent sponsorship agreement between Guild Esports and Sky UK fits right in amongst them. This week, the London-based esports organizations, part-owned by David Beckham, announced a three-year global sponsorship deal with the British broadcaster.

Deal after deal since going public

Guild Esports was founded back in September 2019 and just one year later, the organization took the step to the London Stock Exchange, thus becoming the first esports organization to become publicly traded in the United Kingdom. Its initial public offering (IPO) raised just over £20 million and brought Guild’s overall valuation to about £40 million. As the company stated at the time of going public, the move would “help to raise the public profile and provide new funds for the company’s expansion and long-term growth”.

A considerable part of those funds is the result of the previously mentioned raised public profile, as Guild has not been sitting still on the sponsorship front since it went public in October 2020. In a little under two years’ time, the organization has managed to sign no less than eight high-profile sponsorship agreements, including a deal to make Coca-Cola Guild’s official hydration and soft drinks partner, an agreement to make Samsung Guild’s official TV Partner for the UK and Ireland, and the newest deal with Sky UK.

Major deal with Sky UK

Guild is setting the standard in the international esports industry, as the company claims that the deal with Sky is not only one of the biggest in its own history, but in the history of esports in Europe ever. No financial details were revealed by the parties involved, but we do know that as part of the partnership, Guild’s headquarters will be renamed the Sky Guild Gaming Centre, and the Sky name and logo will be visibly present on the team jerseys and across the interior and exterior of the HQ.

The deal with Guild is a first for Sky, as the company had not yet gotten this directly involved in esports until now. The agreement stands for a period of three years and the undisclosed sponsorship amount will be paid out in cash over the contracted period. “We are incredibly proud to welcome Sky, a media, entertainment and connectivity powerhouse, to the esports sector2, says Kal Hourd, Chief Executive of Guild Esports, about the deal with Sky”, We believe this partnership will drive Guild to the highest levels of performance in top-flight esports across the four games where we field our pro-players, as well as to become a global leader in coaching and performance.