ESL secures Spotify partnership

Esports tournament organiser ESL has announced a partnership with audio subscription service Spotify.

As a result of the deal, ESL and Spotify will provide German CS:GO fans with exclusive podcasts and a range of music playlists.

The partnership commenced at the ESL Pro League (EPL) Season 16 Conference in June, and will continue throughout Season 16 of the EPL starting on August 31st.

The tournament organiser joining forces with Spotify will create a “deepened music experience” for the German-speaking market, the two companies announces.

At the time of writing, ESL has a playlist curated by Team Liquid player Nicholas ‘Nitr0’ Cannella and a podcast titled Globally Offensive.

Spotify is no stranger to esports. In 2020, the streaming service partnered with League of Legends Esports to create a dedicated music hub and podcasts covering the esport. In addition, the music service also collaborated with the Overwatch League (OWL) in 2018.

In recent months, ESL has partnered with a range of brands across its CS:GO and Dota 2 tournament circuits.

In May, it secured deals with Acer’s Predator brand and Lenovo Legion for all Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) tournaments taking place in 2022. Additionally, in June, it joined forces with ASUS and its Republic of Gamers brand.

Benny Eichelmann, Senior Director of Global Brand Partnerships at ESL Gaming, spoke on the deal in a release: “Music and gaming truly go hand in hand, and we are therefore very excited to partner with Spotify and offer fans the best possible music experience.

“The partnership is a natural brand fit as it combines the best of the undisputed leader among music streaming platforms and the world’s leading esports company. By working together we can now enhance the experiences of our German communities to enjoy both their favourite music and premier esports content.”