Puma becomes official apparel partner of Gen.G esports organization

By

Robin Driver

Published
Jul 24, 2021

Puma has announced the expansion of its partnership with Gen.G. The German sportswear company is now the official global apparel partner of the international esports organization, including for its North America professional teams and creators.

 
As part of the new agreement, Puma will produce the official Gen.G jersey for the organization’s esports teams and creators around the world. This includes Gen.G’s North American team for first-person hero shooter Valorant.
 
Puma and Gen.G first joined forces in June 2020, collaborating to produce a jersey for Gen.G’s winning PUBG and League of Legends teams, both of which are based in Seoul, South Korea. Subsequently, for the 2020 League of Legends World Championship, the partners released a limited-edition jersey featuring artwork from Gen.G executive brand advisor and fashion designer Heron Preston. These jerseys were worn by Gen.G’s League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) team.

The partnership between Puma and Gen.G also stretches beyond apparel, with the sportswear maker supporting the esports organization’s Gen.G Foundation scholarship. Currently in its second year, this program provides funding for the development of student esports athletes and has pledged $1 million in support for women, people of color and low-income U.S. university or college students interested in a career in esports, gaming, entrepreneurship, journalism or content creation, over the next 10 years.
 
"Over the last year, Puma has been an incredible brand partner," said Gen.G chief marketing officer Gina Chung Lee in a release. "We are thrilled to expand globally – from their support of our LCK team to their partnership in initiatives like our Gen.G Foundation, we are proud to continue the story with our creators and teams in North America.”
 
Esports is a rapidly growing industry that has become increasingly attractive in recent years, not only to traditional athleticwear manufacturers, but also to other fashion and even beauty brands seeking exposure. Gen.G’s previous partners include plastic clog maker Crocs, with whom the organization recently launched a Minecraft build competition, and cosmetics brand Benefit, which teamed up with Gen.G for a campaign targeting female gamers in 2020.
 
According to a report from leading gaming analytics firm Newzoo, the esports industry is expected to generate $1 billion in revenue in 2021, up more than 14% from $947.1 million last year.