Guild Esports Pens 3

Guild Esports estimates the combined value of the sponsorship and merchandising agreements at £1 ... [+] million ($1.24 million).

Guild Esports, the London-based gaming organization part-owned by David Beckham, has announced its latest step in its aims to become an established lifestyle brand, signing a three-year sponsorship and merchandising deal with Danish sports and fashion manufacturer Hummel. With it, Guild has gained its first-ever "official technical kit partner".

The new range of Guild products, which are scheduled to go on sale on October 1, includes a new jersey to be worn by Guild professional players, as well as a lifestyle hoodie, sweatpants, headwear, and luggage. Hummel also gains exclusive rights to the production and sale of Guild-branded apparel.

Guild will receive a "double-digit share" of merchandising revenues sold through Hummel, with performance-linked bonuses; Guild projects the combined value of sponsorship and merchandising to be worth approximately £1 million ($1.24 million) over three years. This could rise in line with high-street aspirations, as the pair are exploring opportunities to sell Guild-branded apparel in major retailers across the U.K. and Ireland–a market that's yet to be tapped on a large scale by any esports team.

The agreement comes hot on the heels of Team Vitality's own partnership with Denmark's foremost sportswear company after it penned a three-year deal with Hummel in January. Red Bull Racing Esports signed a deal with the company in 2021; Danish esports giant Astralis was, perhaps unsurprisingly, Hummel's first high-ticket partnership in the esports space.

Outside of esports, Hummel has become a cult brand during its 100-year history, striking deals with teams including Real Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur, and Everton FC, as well as the Danish national soccer team. Its iconic chevron-based designs are making a comeback, though it's yet to be confirmed whether this unique quirk will make its way onto Guild Esports’ jerseys.

Jasmine Skee, who became the UK's only female CEO of a publicly listed esports organization when she was appointed to Guild's top role in January, said her company has done an impressive job attracting well-known brands to sponsor its organization–including Sky Broadband, Coca-Cola, Subway, and Samsung–and she was proud to unveil its first-ever technical kit partner.

Jasmine Skee, CEO of Guild Esports.

"This partnership shows the unique and consistent attraction of esports to brands across multiple sectors, even those not typically associated with gaming," she says. "Hummel has its roots in traditional sports such as football, but nevertheless, the brand is a big believer in the future of esports and the partnership with Guild puts the Hummel brand front and center with the young, engaged audience that makes up Guild's fanbase. This is a big draw for brands whilst Gen Z's market power is growing and while digital natives continue to flock to esports.

"Hummel and Guild have been brought together not just by Guild's audience, but by our shared brand values. We’re committed to furthering equality across esports and gaming, particularly in providing opportunities for women. We’re delighted that our all-female teams in Valorant and CS:GO will compete in shirts created by a company just as supportive of them as we are. We are proud to work with a brand that shares our deep convictions.

"Guild is demonstrating esports’ brand magnetism. With more fans than rugby or baseball, and able to engage with the notoriously difficult-to-reach Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha demographics, esports is the future."

Allan Vad Nielsen, CEO of Hummel, was "thrilled" by the opportunity to welcome Guild Esports to its line-up of sports teams. He added: "As a brand, we have always been committed to developing local communities and promoting diversity and inclusion, and we see these values reflected in Guild's approach to esports.

"Guild's unique talent pipeline based on the traditional sports academy model aligns with our vision of building a strong foundation for the future of esports, and we look forward to work together to empower and inspire the next generation of esports athletes and fans."