BLAST, an esports entertainment company, has announced an expanded sponsorship with Progressive Insurance, making it the Presenting Sponsor for the entire Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) 2025 season.

Following its successful sponsorship of the Rocket League World Championship in Fort Worth, Texas, last year, Progressive is deepening its investment in Esports by extending its presence across all Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) events in 2025, including Qualifiers, RLCS Majors, and the Rocket League World Championship.

Progressive is the second largest personal auto insurer in the United States, a leading seller of commercial auto, motorcycle, and boat insurance, and one of the country’s top 15 homeowners insurance carriers. 

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The sponsorship will see Progressive featured both digitally and physically across the RLCS 2025 season and includes logo placement on the Rocket League ball in RLCS broadcasts, branded broadcast content and a number of in and out of game logo integrations. 

The RLCS is the official competitive league for Rocket League Esports, which features the world’s best teams and players competing across the year for a place in the much-anticipated arena events – fans can look forward to events such as the RLCS Major in Birmingham, UK and Raleigh Majors and the Rocket League World Championship in Lyon, France.  

Progressive first sponsored Rocket League Esports last September for the Rocket League World Championship in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, where Team BDS claimed the lion’s share of the $1,165,500 total prize pool and coveted world title. 

Alexander Lewin, SVP of Commercial Revenues for BLAST, said: “The expansion of our sponsorship with Progressive highlights the growing global reach of Rocket League Esports, along with its brilliant passionate fanbase and the exciting arena events on offer across the year. We are looking forward to further integrating Progressive into the Rocket League esports ecosystem in 2025.” 

Sean Freeman, Media Business Leader at Progressive, said: “We’re excited to help bring a fun and competitive Rocket League Championship Series season to the Esports community in 2025. We look forward to connecting with the passionate fans of Rocket League both in-game and in the arena all season long through this expanded sponsorship.” 

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G2, one of the world’s leading entertainment and esports brands, has today announced its successful Series B investment round. The round was led by the investment arm of the Wilf family, WISE Ventures, who have become part of G2’s ownership group. Among the multiple new investors joining them are The Tornante Company (owned by former Paramount Pictures and The Walt Disney Company CEO) , Gary Vaynerchuk, and G2’s own leadership team.

The capital raised from the Series B investment round will be used towards venturing into new titles, a wider global expansion for the organisation, and G2’s direct-to-fans offerings. Funds will also be utilised for wider investment into the Call of Duty League (CDL), after acquiring full ownership of esports organisation Version1’s Minnesota Rokkr’s Call of Duty League slot. This acquisition of Minnesota Rokkr follows G2 obtaining operating rights to Minnesota Rokkr in late 2023 through a strategic partnership with Version1, owned and operated by the Wilf family. G2 is renowned for being one of the most decorated clubs in the world with over 100 first-place finishes across the last decade, competing in major league titles including League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, VALORANT, Sim Racing and Rainbox Six Siege.

Funds will also be used toward a broader diversification of G2’s direct-to-fans offerings including updates to its fan-focused app, major content projects and exciting new campaigns that are yet to be announced. With over 30 million fans globally and boasting partnerships with some of the most prestigious mainstream brands globally including Mastercard, Red Bull, Ralph Lauren and Oakley, G2 will look to further establish itself as one of the most successful organisations worldwide, and continue to solidify esports as the new generation of sports.

The investment round introduced multiple new investors, while also seeing existing investors increase their contributions to the organisation. Notable additions to G2’s elite ownership team and shareholder base include WISE Ventures, the investment arm of the Wilf family, owners of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings and MLS and NWSL teams Orlando City SC and Pride and real estate development company Garden Homes, among other holdings, as well as investor and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, and the investment arm of former Paramount Pictures and The Walt Disney Company CEO, The Tornante Company.

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Previous investors, including Jens Hilgers (Founder of Bitkraft and ESL), Al Tylis (part owner of Necaxa (MX Liga), Wrexham (Welsh Football club), DC United (MLS), DC Pickleball) and Bluepool (owners of Brooklyn Nets (NBA) and New York Liberty (WNBA) ), also increased their investments during this round. Additionally, G2’s leadership team joined as investors and shareholders, reflecting their commitment and confidence in the Company’s future.

New and existing investors join a roster of previous investors that include ties to McLaren Racing, Baltimore Orioles (MLB), LAFC (MLS), Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL) and Portuguese footballer Andre Gomes.

Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2, comments: “This successful investment round and the addition of our new investors showcases G2’s strength and value as an organisation. This year is our 10th anniversary, and looking back over the last decade, we’ve not only built a globally successful brand with teams that are consistently on top, but also we’ve built a valuable business that’s been profitable for multiple years. As we look ahead, we’re excited to keep building our legacy to become a next generation sports organisation.”

Konrad von Moltke, Principal of WISE Ventures, added: “Since getting to know G2’s management team in early 2023 we have continued to be impressed with their strategic vision, work ethic, operational excellence and communication. We are thrilled to be partnering with G2 on their next stage of growth.”

Jonathan Wilf, Controlling Owner of Version1, commented: “G2 and Version1 are a natural fit. We are fully invested in the future of esports – our partnership with G2 and our investment in this funding round is a testament to that. We are excited to build on the legacy of Version1, and we can’t wait to bring more championships to G2’s global fanbase.”

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Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025, G2 will be inviting fans to celebrate with exclusive events, exciting new merch collaborations with major global IPs, content drops, and more, looking back at 10 successful years, and looking forward to the organisation’s bright future.

ExitLag, created to help enhance internet connections and reduce latency through its multi-path technology, announced it has partnered with TALON, one of the most prominent esports organisations in the APAC region. As part of this collaboration, ExitLag will become an official sponsor of TALON Esports, supporting their teams competing in League of Legends (Taiwan), Valorant (South Korea), Dota 2 (Philippines) and ROV (Thailand).

With this partnership, ExitLag reinforces its commitment to supporting top-tier esports teams and players by optimising their connectivity and ensuring a smoother, lag-free competitive experience. Talon Esports has established a formidable reputation as a dominant force in competitive gaming across the APAC region. By sponsoring TALON, ExitLag strengthens its expansion into the Asian gaming market, ensuring that professional and amateur gamers alike have access to superior network performance.

“Esports is built on the foundation of precision, speed, skill, and seamless gameplay. At ExitLag, we are dedicated to providing competitive gamers with the best possible connection to compete at their highest level. Partnering with TALON Esports allows us to further our mission of eliminating connectivity barriers and enhancing the performance and experience of top esports players competing across multiple titles globally,” said Lucas Stolze, CEO of ExitLag.

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ExitLag’s proprietary multi-path technology optimises data routing in real-time, reducing lag, packet loss and jitter to deliver the most stable gaming experience possible. Through this partnership, ExitLag will work closely with TALON’s teams across various titles, ensuring that their players can focus entirely on performance without network limitations.

“We’re thrilled to welcome ExitLag as a partner. In professional esports, every millisecond matters. ExitLag’s cutting-edge technology will provide our players a crucial competitive edge, ensuring they can perform at their peak without worrying about connectivity issues,” said Sean Zhang, CEO of TALON Esports.

As ExitLag continues its rapid growth in the Asia-Pacific region, this partnership underscores its dedication to empowering esports athletes with world-class network solutions. Fans can look forward to exciting activations, exclusive content, and engagement opportunities as ExitLag and TALON Esports work together throughout the season.

“As we expand our footprint in Asia, partnering with TALON Esports is a testament to our dedication to providing the best connectivity solutions for competitive gamers in the region. We are excited to work closely with TALON’s teams and help elevate their performance to new heights,” said Josh Wong, Asia Market Lead of ExitLag.