ESL & Intel to Invest $100m in Esports Each Following Partnership Renewal

ESL Gaming, a leading Esports production company and event organizer, has announced the renewal of its partnership with Intel, the global tech company. The duo will soon have been associated with each other for 20 years, with both parties having promised to invest $100 million into Esports up until the IEM Katowice 2025.

Such investment is to help “further product innovations and improvements for fans and players alike”. Meanwhile, part of the new terms of the partnership mean that the Intel Extreme Masters brand will take over all Non-League ESL Pro Tour CS:GO tournaments. The circuit includes the ESL One Cologne, which will now be known as the Intel Extreme Masters Cologne. In total, 80+ IEM events have been run by the two parties, over 15 seasons.

What ESL Has Said On the Renewal

Speaking on the announcement, ESL Gaming Co-CEO, Ralf Reichert, stated that: “After 20 years of building something hand in hand it’s hard to consider Intel as merely a partner. The two-decade journey has forged a bond that has no parallel in the world of esports and we are excited to be extending it with a commitment of this magnitude; the next three years will be the greatest esports fans have seen yet.”

Intel became ESL’s global technical partner back in 2016, with their latest partnership to include the DreamHack Open and DreamHack Festival. The duo will also continue to provide tech solutions for pro-level events.

Intel Have Also Spoken On the Deal

Intel General Manager of Gaming and Esports, Marcus Kennedy has also had his say on the news, stating that: “When we joined forces with ESL two decades ago, we never imagined just how powerful this partnership could be. We’ve shaped the esports landscape together, collaborated on some of the most spectacular events in the world, and brought the very best esports experiences to millions of fans around the globe. “As a leader in PC gaming, we at Intel are excited about this next step in our successful history together and to elevate esports to an even higher level.”

While the finer details of just how the $100m will be spent have yet to be unveiled, the sheer scale of the partnership renewal means that fans can expect big things from the duo. We will deliver further details as they are announced.