esports: H&M becomes a partner of the Virtual Bundesliga, the DFL's esports competition

H&M, a multinational clothing-retail company, has become a partner of the Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH for its esports competition the bevestor Virtual Bundesliga (VBL) in 2020-21, announced the German league on 10/05/2021. The deal was negotiated by the sports marketing agency Sportfive.

"For the upcoming playoffs (15 and 16/05/2021) and for the VBL Grand Final on the weekend of 04 to 06/06/2021, the fashion company will be present during the broadcasts of the eFootball competition on the VBL's digital and linear channels as well as on the social networks. The VBL commentators will be equipped with the latest styles from H&M Man," said the DFL, which has been organising the esports competition involving German Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga clubs since 2012.

H&M entered esports following a partnership with the Eredivisie to become a partner of the eDivisie, the Dutch league's esports competition, for the 2020-2022 cycle. While H&M has already launched collaborations around gaming (in 2007, with digitised clothes for The Sims video game) or with influencers (in 2019, with the "H vs. M…