Riot announces Bud Light as a new official LCS partner

Olivia Richman Published 22/01/2020

League of Legends is about to get lit.

Bud Light will be available at the LCS Arena for the Spring and Summer Split finals thanks to a new partnership between Riot Games and Bud Light.

“Sipping a Bud Light and cheering on your team is a time-honored tradition of sports, and the LCS is proud to join that tradition and introduce brand new ways for fans to enjoy Bud Light alongside their esport of choice,” Riot Games’ head of partnership and business development Matt Archambault said.

The alcoholic beverage is now the official beer of the LCS, which comes with a lot of new content for fans. Bud Light will host “How I LCS” viewing parties and become the presenting sponsor for both the “Ace Moment” broadcast segment and Monday Night League’s post-show broadcast. Bud Light will also work with Riot Games on an “after hours” show on Twitch.

“Bud Light brings fun and creative energy to everything they touch, with a passion for all professional sports and a core understanding of the supporting community and fanbase. We can’t wait to share everything we have in store for fans this year and I’m truly excited to celebrate every ‘Ace Moment’ in the LCS by raising an ice-cold Bud Light,” Archambault said.

This is also a cause for celebration for the beer company as well. Bud Light spent the majority of 2019 becoming the “official beer of esports.” They partnered with Magic Gaming, NBA 2K League, and, most notably, the Overwatch League.

Starting in April, Bud Light hosted three major Overwatch League events, starting with the Bud Light Homestand Weekend in Dallas. During that event, the beer company operated a Bud Light bar and showed off their Bud Light Knight mascot. Bud Light also launched a sweepstakes with a trip to the Overwatch League Grand Finals being the prize.

Bud Light is looking to bring that same energy to the LCS Arena.

“Bud Light has always been a leader in cultural moments across sports and entertainment,” Bud Light’s director of sports marketing Joe Barnes said. “Esports, particularly League of Legends, gives us a great platform to recruit and engage with new consumers. From our viewing parties, to the ‘Ace Moment’ and the after-hours post game show, we look forward to reaching new fans as they consume all their favorite League of Legends content.”

The partnership is also a sign of the increasing age of the esports audience, given that Bud Light marketing officials are in theory going to be most interested in targeting consumers who are actually of age to purchase their products.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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