Nike Deal With The LPL Reportedly In Dispute
By Zac Cameron ·
Perhaps the biggest deal in esports history may not be going as planned, with a report indicating that the teams of the LPL are not happy with the new Nike deal.
Earlier this month it was reported that the League of Legends Pro League (LPL) had signed a massive new sponsorship deal with Nike, that started with Royal Never Give Up’s star AD Carry Jian "Uzi" Zihao. The deal would also see Nike receive naming rights of the LPL Alliance uniforms, and provide clothing, accessories, and shoes to all of the teams in the LPL.
Now a new report from The Esports Observer has indicated that not only were the terms of the deal incorrect (five-year duration for $144 million), but that the teams of the LPL are now in dispute with Riot Games parent company Tencent Holdings over the contract. According to the report, the main dispute appears to come from an inability for the LPL teams to pursue other deals involving clothing sponsorships, as well as the fact that all players, team staff, coaches, and tournament officials would be required to wear Nike clothing.
This appears to be a major sticking point for at least one of the LPL teams, EDG, which is already sponsored by Chinese sportswear brand Li-Ning. According to The Esports Observers report, the deal would also be tied to viewership numbers for the LPL, with an increase in numbers meaning the seal would continue, while a decrease would mean the deal would be ended. At this stage, neither Nike nor Riot Games / Tencent have made a statement on the dispute.