Deadlock Night Shift Adds Another Major Sponsor

Plus Night Shift caster Jake joins us about sponsors

The Night Shift Open

Two weeks ago, we shared how Deadlock Night Shift #37 had returning sponsor, Intel, and new sponsor, Newegg, for the event. We also explained why new sponsors entering Deadlock are great for the growth of the young scene.

Wednesday, they announced the Night Shift Open! A $12,000 North American online event being held on May 30th-31st. One of, if not the biggest company in the world, Walmart, is joining Intel as the main sponsors for it. This is the biggest prize pool North American Deadlock esports has given out so far. Four teams were invited: Melee Creeps, FPS Lounge, Floormen, and Lowkey W from Europe. Additionally, four more teams will make it through the Open Qualifiers being held on May 29th. It doesn’t matter if you’re Eternus or Initiate, you have a chance (good luck Initiates) to win some money!

Take a look at the information below from their graphic:

Courtesy of Deadlock Night Shift

Walmart getting involved is huge for the Deadlock esports scene. It’s not every day you see one of the largest and most influential companies in the world sponsoring an esports scene as young and new as Deadlock. From a sponsor perspective, this could mean they believe in the product they see on the streams. Also, it’s important to note, the Night Shift is ran by some of the most seasoned and influential esports personalities in the industry. They know what they’re doing. They know how to run a successful product based on their histories from casting and producing streams in Counter-strike, Overwatch, and plenty more. This leads to the next part, graciously being joined by one of those individuals about sponsorships.

Jake has comments on sponsors!

Courtesy of JakeOW Twitter / X

Getting input and comments from active personalities in the scene is always beneficial when discussing an esports topic. I had the chance to ask ex-professional esports player and active caster Jacob “Jake” Lyon a few questions about sponsorships in Deadlock:

Question 1: “What are some of the challenges Deadlock and DLNS has faced with such a new esports scene?”

Jake: “The biggest challenge with Deadlock esports is building from the ground up. Without DLNS there isn’t consistent competition in the scene and so there is pressure on us to set the standard. That being said, it’s also an opportunity to lead in a game that we really believe will be a major hit long term.”

Question 2: “How impactful are sponsors for esports brands like the DLNS. From a higher level, how do sponsorships like this allow the show to run differently?”

Jake: “Getting sponsors interested in Deadlock is hugely important for DLNS. The scope of the competition that we are able to offer is dependent on our ability to secure sponsorship. In the end though, the success of the esport is always going to be about the viewership and engagement of the community. We are really lucky in Deadlock in that respect — the community around the game seems extremely supportive of esports. If that trend holds through Deadlock’s development and into a potential release, I have no doubt that Deadlock will take its place among the top esports titles.”

Question 3: “The Newegg Spirit Urn as a golden egg mod idea was genius for brand representation, and it fit well. For potential sponsors that may want to partner with the Night Shift crew, what are some important qualities you look for from the sponsor side and are more in-game initiatives like that possible?”

Jake: “The DLNS team is composed entirely of esports veterans. Collectively, we have more experience than just about any broadcast you could find anywhere in gaming. We are always trying to put that experience to use when it comes to delivering compelling sponsor activations that go beyond the traditional promotion and actually create a fun and positive experience for the community. The better the fan response we see, the better sponsorships we can convert in the future. That being said, we really wouldn’t be anywhere without the Deadlock community itself so even with all our experience it’s important to remember that we are a community event.”

A big thank you to Jake for spending time to reply and give some thought to these. Hopefully these brief questions helped educate some people further on sponsorships in esports and why they are important. Thanks to everyone reading!