Team Vitality, a French esports club with an international reach, is proud to announce a groundbreaking strategic partnership with E.Leclerc, which becomes the organization's main partner. The two brands share strong values and a common vision: making culture accessible to all. This commitment is all the more relevant given that video games are now the world's leading cultural industry, bringing together more than 3 billion players, thus echoing Leclerc's long-standing role in democratizing culture.
With this collaboration, E.Leclerc continues to invest in unifying cultural spaces, this time in high-level video game competition, in line with its commitment to the Tour de France, and affirms its desire to reach all 70 million French people. This alliance between two French leaders in their respective markets marks a true paradigm shift in esports sponsorship.
An alliance between two leaders
The motivations behind this alliance are numerous and strategic. For E.Leclerc, partnering with a premium, established, and high-performing brand like Team Vitality is a key lever for strengthening its presence among younger generations (18-35 years old). In 2023, more than 23% of French internet users were interested in or played esports, a key audience for continuing to reach all French people and stay in tune with their cultural interests.
By collaborating with Team Vitality, a leading French esports organization with an international reach and 10 million followers worldwide, E.Leclerc is choosing to establish a lasting presence in the worlds that fascinate young people and shape their habits.
For Team Vitality, this alliance represents a tremendous opportunity to continue its development alongside an iconic brand, widely acclaimed by the French, and which fully recognizes the legitimacy and maturity of the esports industry.
Thanks to Team Vitality's digital power and cultural influence, this partnership will allow E.Leclerc to reach young people where their attention is currently focused: online, on social media, and at the heart of esports competitions. But the ambition goes beyond digital: E.Leclerc will also integrate esports into its own retail spaces, transforming tournaments, events, and immersive experiences into powerful tools for attracting new audiences to its stores.
Increased visibility to develop esports in France
As part of this large-scale collaboration, the two brands will work together on areas related to accessibility, well-being, and nutrition. They will also focus on bringing the esports experience to a wider audience by creating unique, immersive, and accessible moments both in stores and online.
In this context, the E.Leclerc logo will be displayed in the center of the jerseys of Team Vitality's international teams: LEC, VCT, LFL, Rising Bees, Rocket League as well as the chess players - for optimal visibility during competitions.
This alliance sends a strong signal of the growing relevance of esports and the interest it is attracting from leading non-endemic brands. It also illustrates Team Vitality's appeal within the esports ecosystem. For E.Leclerc, this represents its first major foray into the world of gaming and esports.
“ It was a dream when we created Team Vitality in 2013: to show that esports could become part of everyday life for all French people. Today, we are taking this symbolic step by partnering with E.Leclerc, the largest retailer in France and the French people's favorite brand. This announcement is historic, both for Team Vitality and for esports in general, and I am proud to be responsible for it. It's an opportunity to showcase a responsible and ambitious vision, centered on our talent and driven by values of kindness and sharing, for esports that is accessible to everyone, far beyond the passionate fan base, ” explains Nicolas Maurer, CEO and co-founder of Team Vitality .
Strong values at the heart of a unique partnership
Beyond simple sponsorship, this partnership is based on a deep convergence of values between Team Vitality and E.Leclerc:
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Physical and mental well-being : Team Vitality places mental and physical health at the heart of its model, notably through its KARE program. It is precisely this program that brought the two brands together, allowing them to find common ground in shared values of awareness, prevention, and action. A true pillar of the Team Vitality model, KARE illustrates the commitment to supporting athletes through a holistic approach combining performance, nutrition, and psychological support. Together, E.Leclerc and Team Vitality are committed to promoting more responsible esports and dismantling the stereotypes associated with this ecosystem.
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Accessibility and inclusion : Just like quality food, esports should be a cultural asset accessible to all. It is in this spirit that Team Vitality's women's League of Legends team, Rising Bees, will play a central role in the partnership and will be the subject of dedicated initiatives. Together, the two brands are committed to inclusive esports, offering everyone the opportunity to thrive and perform at their best.
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Transparency and authenticity : Team Vitality and E.Leclerc share the same commitment: to remain true to their history and the values that have built their success. Successes and challenges alike will be shared transparently, leaving the final say and responsibility for these achievements to the communities, customers, and fans.
Throughout their collaboration, the two brands wish to highlight culture while promoting positive and benevolent values, both in the practices and in the representation of video games.