Following the path that the United States Army took in 2018, the United States Navy has announced that it is stepping into the esports scene. However, it will do so in a different kind of way.
Last week, the U.S. Navy announced a joint partnership with ESL North America and Dreamhack, both of which are a part of the Modern Times Group (MTG). The newly established partnership makes the Navy an Official Festival Partner of the upcoming Dreamhack Anaheim event on Feb. 21-23 and Dreamhack Dallas on May 22-24.
The U.S. Navy will have a LAN station at its booths where fans can challenge Naval officers and veterans in various games, and it will also be integrated into Dreamhack's esports broadcasts, including the anticipated Dreamhack Open. The Navy will also partner with and participate in Dreamhack's BYOC (Bring Your Own Computer) events.
Happy to announce that we are partnering with @AmericasNavy for DreamHack Anaheim.
Be sure to stop by their BYOC LAN station onsite where you can 1v1 a Navy Sailor in a game of YOUR choice!
For more info:dreamhack.com/anaheim/news/u…
19 people are talking about this
“We are honored to have this partnership with the U.S. Navy,” said Marcus Lindmark, the Co-CEO of DreamHack. “We know gaming is a hobby for many who serve their country, so to unite our festivals in Anaheim and Dallas with this respected military branch is particularly meaningful to us. The Navy will bring some really unique activations to our fans in the U.S. and we are looking forward to offering this experience to our attendees."
The Navy's entry into the esports scene follows a similar path that the U.S. Army took when it arrived in esports in 2018. The U.S. Army, however, came in as a participant via its own esports team in an effort to increase recruitment numbers. The Navy is the third of the American military branches to dive into major esports, although it's coming in as a partner instead of a participant.
The U.S. Air Force also dabbled in esports a bit in the recent past, sponsoring the L.A. based Cloud9's Counter-Strike: GO team in 2018.
“The Navy is excited to partner with ESL and DreamHack as we enter the esports space,” said Rear Admiral Brendan R. McLane, Commander, U.S. Navy Recruiting Command. “Like the Navy, esports requires a variety of skills and roles, and a strong commitment to continual improvement. Our partnership will help align the U.S. Navy’s passion for competition with esports fans both onsite at DreamHack North American events and through unique online content on ESL channels.”
When the Army announced its esports team two years ago, it was used to help boost the branch's poor recruiting numbers. The Army, then, was 6,500 soldiers short of its September 2018 quota. Although its esports team wasn't filled with Army recruiters, it was present at esports events.
The Navy is no stranger to this type of tactic. It plans to use its new esports partnership to connect with and maybe recruit several tech-savvy esports fans and introduce them to what the Navy has to offer from a tech standpoint.
“ESL and DreamHack are constantly looking to engage with fans in new ways, and our partnership with U.S. Navy will allow us to highlight these unique experiences across our media channels to reach viewers,” said Paul Brewer, the Senior Vice President of Brand Partnerships at ESL.
“Our hope is to expose North American esports fans to the Navy’s offerings and to develop shared experiences that help to support our U.S. Armed Forces.”
Source: ESL Gaming
