Grapevine-based video game retailer GameStop is hitting the play button on a wide-ranging esports sponsorship that will feature a partnership with Dallas-based Envy Gaming.
GameStop is a Grapevine-based video game retailer. [Photo courtesy of GameStop]
It’s all part of an effort to support the next generation of professional gamers and increase exposure to gaming, GameStop says.
“We are aiming to become the local neighborhood hub for amateur esports, and we are thrilled to collaborate with Envy Gaming and their players so they can help inspire and educate the gaming community at the grassroots level,” GameStop Chief Marketing Officer Frank Hamlin says.
Envy Gaming owns the global Team Envy esports franchise and the Dallas Fuel team in the Overwatch League, and throughout the year, it will partner with GameStop to launch a series of gaming clinics for amateur gamers.
“Esports as a global sport and the accessibility of video games have the potential to positively impact billions of people through shared experiences, content and more,” Geoff Moore, president and COO of Envy Gaming said in a release. “Having a partner in GameStop that makes sharing a passion for gaming a priority is the perfect way for Envy and the Dallas Fuel to connect with our fans in our home market in Texas and globally.”
A Dallas Fuel player in action. [Courtesy Envy Gaming]
GameStop has grown to be a world leader in video game retail sales and is a Fortune 500 company that operates more than 5,800 stores in 14 countries across Europe, Canada, Australia, and in the United States. And now its Power Rewards users will be able to access exclusive sweepstakes and giveaways from Envy, the release says.
GameStop and Envy say they aim to collaborate on fan engagement opportunities including contests, watch parties, and player appearances. Those events and clinics are also likely to include guest appearances by Dallas Fuel head coach Aaron “Aero” Atkins and assistant coach Justin “Jayne” Conroy will participate at future GameStop Live clinics.
The partnership announcement comes on the heels of GameStop’s appointment of George Sherman as its new chief executive officer and member of the board of directors. Sherman’s appointment is effective April 15.
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