Vi and Team Vitality Forge Strategic Esports Partnership to Boost India’s Esports Ecosystem

India, Jan 03, 2024: Vodafone Idea (Vi), a leading telecom operator in India, and Team Vitality, an internationally acclaimed esports organization based in Paris, have joined forces in a long-term strategic partnership to bolster the esports ecosystem in India. With the Indian esports industry projected to reach $140 million by 2027, Vi and Team Vitality aim to drive and democratize access to esports, capitalizing on the category’s significant growth.

The collaboration encompasses various elements, including brand sponsorship, content partnerships, gaming events, and unique experiences on an unprecedented scale. Vi customers will gain exclusive opportunities to participate in esports, access popular Team Vitality tournaments and teams, and engage in various activities, including master classes and meet-and-greets with esports talent.

Vi, known for its strong presence in the mobile games segment, has been offering hyper-casual mobile games to users via Vi Games on the Vi App. The partnership with Team Vitality marks Vi’s foray into deepening its focus on esports in India, with recent involvement in hosting free-to-play tournaments across popular games like Call of Duty: Mobile, Free Fire Max, Asphalt 9, and Clash Royale.

Avneesh Khosla, CMO, Vi, stated, ” Gaming has always been our strategic focus area and we have continuously strived to strengthen our gaming portfolio with right partnerships and relevant offerings. Over the last few years, esports has revolutionized the mobile gaming arena especially with younger audiences, and hence, deepening our focus in this space was a natural progression for Vi Games. We are excited to partner with one of the leading esports organizations of the world – Team Vitality. Together, we aim to drive and democratize access to the esports ecosystem in India. In the coming months, we will introduce some exciting esports and other youth centric content for our consumers to experience.”

Randall Fernandez, Managing Director, Team Vitality India, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, saying, ” We are exhilarated to announce our partnership with Vi. We are at a juncture where technology will catapult gaming to the next level and eagerly look forward to our journey together. We will unlock new horizons searching for aspiring gaming talent across the length and breadth of the country, set new precedents and create indelible marks within the esports industry.”

Locally, Team Vitality’s all-Indian Call of Duty: Mobile (CODM) team recently competed in the CODM World Championship 2023 in Atlanta, US, and was among the top 16 teams globally. The organization has also collaborated with popular gaming content creators, including Nischay ‘Live Insaan’ Malhan, Rachit ‘Rachitroo’ Yadav, Nitin ‘Classified YT’ Chougale, Shagufta ‘Xyaa’ Iqbal, and Pratik ‘Aurum’ Mehra, who collectively have a YouTube base of 20 million subscribers.

To leverage the growing esports industry and establish a deeper connection with consumers, Vi and Team Vitality plan to launch various gaming contests and events in the future, contributing to the dynamic landscape of esports in India.