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BMW works with five of the world's leading teams under the motto "United in Rivalry" and "United at Home".

The BMW Brand, a winner of the World Branding AwardsIs currently involved in a significant expansion of his involvement in the world of computer, online and simulation games (esport), an area that is becoming increasingly popular with the next generation in particular. As early as 2017, BMW attracted attention as the official partner of the European League of Legends final in Paris in the world of virtual sports.

By 2019 and the successful SIM racing season, which ended with the premiere of BMW SIM LIVE at BMW Welt in Munich, BMW had firmly developed into an important player in sport. Above all, the BMW brand now supports some of the most influential and successful esports teams and strives to promote esports discipline as a whole.

“Esports shows us how sports entertainment can continue to thrive and play a key role in the face of today's challenges. Our entry into sport is motivated by our commitment to become a sustainable, global partner who supports the teams and the entire discipline before, during and after these times of uncertainty, ”said Jens Thiemer, Senior Vice President Customer and Brand BMW.

“Together with the best teams in the world, we want to use our design and innovation skills to shape the discipline in the long term. Our commitment to sport is an important milestone, which for the first time offers a new intersectionality with a dynamic and fast growing community. We see sport as a promising, growing addition to our marketing activities that support BMW on its way to an emotional brand that people identify with. "

In order to establish itself as a new main player in sports, BMW is now partner of five of the world's leading sports organizations. Cloud 9 (US), Fnatic (UNITED KINGDOM), FunPlus Phoenix (China), G2 Esports (Germany) and T1 (South Korea) consists of up to 200 players, who compete against each other especially in the incomparable League of Legends. This fantasy multiplayer game was launched in late 2009 and is without a doubt the most popular and influential online game. Up to eight million players from all over the world are registered at the same time every day.

To countless fans League of Legends (LoL) is the leading esports category. Last year's LoL World Cup final in the AccorHotels Arena in Paris drew an online audience of approx. 44 million fans worldwide watch the live stream at home. There are also other disciplines such as Dota 2nd, FIFA, Fourteen days or rocket league that teams all over the world take part in tournaments of comparable size, which are also supported and promoted by BMW.

The BMW brand will not only act as a strong sponsor for these top teams, but also as a strong partner to present the esports discipline to an even wider audience. "Our long-term goal is to expand our team portfolio into real names in the general sports and entertainment industry," says Jens Thiemer.

The teams' competitive spirit and historical rivalries have always been part of the history of the esports scene. At the same time, the teams share a boundless passion for games and related activities. This is what “United in Rivalry” stands for, especially in times of uncertainty and global challenges.

As part of the partnership with BMW and in line with the esports culture, teams will challenge before tournaments and try to outdo each other by using the hashtag #unitedinrivalry on channels like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, WeChat and various streaming platforms around the world. These mutual arrangements should increase the motivation of each team, but above all they serve to entertain the fans.

It goes without saying that the interactions between the teams always remain within the parameters of esport etiquette, reflect the respect they have for each other, and of course take place at home. So they use the hashtag #unitedathome in combination with #unitedinrivalry.

BMW's commitment also includes the provision of official team vehicles. Among these, each organization will have a team car that has a custom paint job with eye-catching colors and combines comic-style motifs with each organization's logo. These eye-catching paintwork forms another element of this close partnership and was developed jointly by the teams and BMW.

The vehicles thus become an immediately recognizable part of every team. They emphasize the strengths of the teams and are perfect for top-class appearances by players and organizations – including spectacular images used in # unitedinrivalry and # unitedathome activities.