The gap between e-sports and traditional sports has been shrinking. At this point, they’re often sharing arenas, fanbases and now even merchandise, as the Los Angeles Kings just collaborated with the e-sports brand FaZe Clan for special edition co-branded merchandise that will only be available in person at a Kings game.
The special capsule drop features lace-up hoodies reminiscent of hockey sweaters, complete with the Kings logo on the front and the FaZe Clan logo on the upper chest, similar to how sponsor patches are on NBA jerseys currently.
FaZe Clan ✘ @LAKings
Limited edition merch collaboration, available at the Kings game on March 10 in the Team LA Store 👑 pic.twitter.com/is21JAiYTi
— FaZe Clan (@FaZeClan) February 22, 2022
And, similar to how musicians have been bundling merchandise with music, FaZe Clan and the Kings announced that they’ll do special ticket bundles and giveaways so fans can get to Crypto.com Arena to buy the gear on March 10 when the Kings face off against the San Jose Sharks.
FaZe Clan and the Kings have some history, having done promotional events in the past together, like challenging the gaming collective to become professional athletes for a day or hosting charity tournaments.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: FaZe Clan, the lifestyle and media platform rooted in gaming and youth culture, is proud to team up with the LA Kings for a second merchandise collaboration, furthering the cultural convergence between gaming and traditional sports. https://t.co/0tf4DgXUoZ
— LA Kings Insider (@lakingsinsider) February 22, 2022
E-sports has gone from fringe to mainstream in recent years, with tournaments taking place in arenas like Crypto.com and Madison Square Garden. Having a partnership with a local traditional sports team makes sense, and creating co-branded merchandise boosts the profile for both. Hockey fans who like gaming will grab a shirt, and so will gaming fans who occasionally like to watch some action on the ice. It might even introduce fans of one to start paying attention to the other.
