Twins become sponsor of Minnesota high school esports league
MINNEAPOLIS -- Opportunity and development for youth through sport has always been a tenant of the Twins' community engagement -- and this time, they're taking their brand to the esports world.
The Twins and Wisdom Gaming announced a partnership Wednesday that will make them the official spring 2022 sponsor of the Minnesota Varsity League (MNVL), which organizes free esports competition at the high school level throughout Minnesota for over 50 schools and close to 1,000 players.
The Twins will sponsor 32 live streams during the MNVL regular season, three live streams for MNVL All-Star Weekend and six during the state finals, as the organization becomes the first tier-one sponsor for the league organized by Wisdom, a local organization based in Bloomington, Minn.
"We are excited to be partnering with Wisdom Gaming to sponsor MNVL Spring 2022 season," said Chris Iles, the Twins' senior director of brand experience and innovation, in a statement. "The commitment that Wisdom has put forth with MNVL is an incredible testament to the innovation that exists within esports, and the Minnesota Twins are proud to foster this spirit -- and its ability to empower the full potential of our youth -- within our state."
Founded in 2019, Wisdom Gaming operates in production, content creation and tournament organization in the area of esports. MNVL offers competition for schools in Call of Duty, Chess, Super Smash Brothers, Minecraft, Halo Infinite, Valorant and Rocket League in a season that will begin on March 1.
The Twins' tier-one sponsorship will join existing support for Wisdom and MNVL from Torrent, Minnesota Røkkr, Gwoop and LeagueSpot.
"The growth and scale that MNVL has shown in the past few years have been nothing short of incredible," said Nicole Du Cane, Wisdom Gaming's vice president of business development and sales, in a statement. "The prestige in bringing on a sponsor like the Minnesota Twins not only allows for MNVL’s continued growth, but also sets an example for students and parents of the level of support there is for the next generation of esports professionals."