Sponsorship within eSports: Examining the Sponsorship Relationship Quality Constructs

Abstract

Abstract Little research has been conducted towards eSports, and even less in examining the relationship between eSport entities and sponsorship. Sponsorship within eSports has seen a vast increase in recent years, bringing a whole new dimension to the notion of professional gaming. However, entities within eSports are not yet accustomed to this interest of corporate brands, and consequently have limited knowledge on how to maintain such relationships. This study aims to give valuable insights in how sponsorship relations within eSports are handled and maintained through identifying what is mostly valued within eSports sponsorship. This study therefore examines the effects of trust and commitment upon the levels of satisfaction gained within the sponsorship relationship from a consumer perspective, in order to give eSport sponsorship managers a better understanding of sponsorship relationships. Based on in-depth interviews with managers and players active within eSports, this paper claims that trust is key to building long-lasting sponsorship relations within eSports, and that trust has direct influences on the levels of commitment and satisfaction noticed within eSports.