Esports constantly form new partnerships on their path to expansion. Sometimes they are producers of gaming peripherals, other times, and they are liquor brands or betting operators.
New Zealand esports team Dire Wolves’ owner, Jason Spiller, thinks people should not only look at the financial side of things when it comes to partnerships. To Spiller, the allies of esports organizations are an important part of the esports world and contribute to it in more ways than just monetarily.
Gamification has made its way to New Zealand, where two-thirds of the children receive additional education through games. According to Spiller, this is crucial as it helps kids develop digital knowledge and internet culture, which isn’t usually taught. The digital space operates by a wholly different set of rules about how a person should behave and what is acceptable and what isn’t.
The Dire Wolves owner elaborated by reminding those connecting people, which is at the core of gaming, is ever-so-important now, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Spiller believes esports combines all the aforementioned elements and teaches sportsmanship and leadership on top of them.
New Zealand has a growing collegiate ecosystem that has a long way until it reaches the one in the United States but is still enjoying a very warm reception. Waitaki University is in the top position with education in esports. Many high schools are also opting to include some form of gaming into their programs.
Spiller is firm that esports organizations’ partners play a role in that education. For example, Dire Wolves partners with secure online payment site Neosurf which can be beneficial to young gamers as it provides a healthy way for them and their parents to control finance. Spiller added that some professional gamers amass a fortune despite still being young and therefore have a lot to benefit from using money managing features such as Neosurf’s.
Therefore, Dire Wolves’ owner believes that esports organizations have a responsibility to the young. By building strong, healthy, and relevant partnerships, esports organizations can not only benefit but contribute to the lives of both casual young video game enthusiasts and aspiring professional gamers.
Neosurf understands the importance of its role. The company’s chief commercial officer Andrea McGeachin confirmed that the company indeed feels like a part of the esports ecosystem and has goals of contributing to the community that isn’t merely monetary. McGeachin promised that everything Neosurf does is with the people in mind. The CCO hopes that Neosurf’s partnership with Dire Wolves will show how outstanding a partnership in esports can be.
