Esports peripherals firm SteelSeries has announced NFL player Austin Ekeler as its latest ambassador.
As a result, SteelSeries will provide its new ‘Prime’ products to Gridiron Gaming Group, Ekeler’s esports organisation that he co-founded in 2020.
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The Los Angeles Chargers running back is also expected to play a ‘strategic role’ in promoting the new range of peripherals. This includes being present in marketing and publicity campaigns next year.
Ekeler commented: “It’s no secret my passion for gaming and esports runs deep, so I am honoured to become the first pro sports athlete to serve as an ambassador and join the SteelSeries family.
“SteelSeries is celebrating their 20th anniversary as the original esports brand and they continue to lead the way by pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo, so I jumped at the opportunity to align and collaborate with them as I continue to build my brand across sports and culture.”
Accrington to the release, the announcement of Ekeler looks to build on SteelSeries’s expansion into ‘the lifestyle space, sports, and cross-over categories’.
Some of SteelSeries’s notable partners include FaZe Clan, Red Bull, OG Esports, and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports Team. In June 2021, SteelSeries also secured a partnership with Dota 2 Hero Guides author Michael Yossef ‘Torte de Lini’ Cohen-Palacios.
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Tony Trubridge, Global Esports Director at SteelSeries, added: “Austin’s authentic passion for gaming and commitment to elite performance – on and off the field – were driving forces to welcome him to the family and become our first NFL ambassador.
“There’s a natural synergy here, as we create the best products for the best athletes, whether on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, or on the field. Gaming and esports have exploded into a cultural movement across sports, entertainment, music, art, and apparel and it’s going to be incredible to see Austin become a powerful voice for SteelSeries.”
SteelSeries’s Prime series has reportedly received input and feedback from over 100 competitive professional players in order to tailor the products to esports.
Esports Insider says: Esports and sports collaborations have significantly increased over the past 12 months, especially as more athletes start to invest in the sector. This partnership benefits both parties involved. Ekeler’s esports organisation is provided with some valuable peripherals while SteelSeries adds a notable name to its roster of ambassadors.
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