What is it?
Games have always had a competitive element, whether it was posting the new high-score on Ms. Pac Man or trash-talking after scoring a touchdown in Madden. Today, competitive gaming can even attract thousands of spectators.

For marketers, different types of offline and online sponsorships exist, where a consumer brand can help with set-up costs in exchange for placement in front of thousands of players and spectators.

An example is a Castrol GTX sponsorship of an online NASCAR racing game tournament.

Pros

• The brand gets a positive association by enabling a free tournament
• Event promotion and experience offer multiple impression opportunities

Cons

• Smaller reach than other opportunities
• There's a lot of uncertainty about a tournament's final outcome