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Esports Fifa Bundesliga

E-sports emerging as a new platform for clubs after Wolfsburg sign English Fifa gamer

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By Tony Connelly, Sports Marketing Reporter

February 4, 2016 | 2 min read

The growing popularity of e-sports’ presents an array of opportunities for brands to market themselves on a global platform and German Bundesliga side Wolfsburg look to be leading the way after agreeing a deal with professional Fifa player, David Bytheway.

David Bytheway Wolfsburg
David Bytheway

David Bytheway Wolfsburg

David Bytheway

The 22 year-old English professional gamer recently signed a partnership with Wolfsburg that will see him wear the club’s branding when he competes in tournaments and streams his games online.

Bytheway has been playing EA’s Fifa at a professional level since he was 17 and believes that Wolfsburg are leading the way in an emerging market.

"Right now it's not exactly historic, but in five years' time when we look back at this we'll think, 'Wow they really started something here,” said Bytheway.

The Wolverhampton-based gamer said: “It's absolutely massive for me the fact that a team like Wolfsburg have gotten involved with gaming.”

Reflecting on Wolfsburg’s decision to enter into e-sports sponsorship he said it was “a new market" for them.

"E-sports is growing so much every year with all the viewers it's generating. Wolfsburg can see the potential and so they want to be the first to do it."

Bytheway also predicted that his deal comes “less than a year before the first Premier league team does this as well.”

A number of broadcasters have begun investing in realm, including the BBC which broadcast its first livestream of an e-sports event in October. ESPN also made moves to tap into the market with the launch of a dedicated e-sports site sponsored by T-Mobile.

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