Mountain Dew is upping its esports game, sponsoring a trio of competitive gaming powerhouses, including the Sixers-owned Team Dignitas, Splyce and Team SK Gaming. The soft drink brand will collaborate with these teams and players to connect directly with esports fans through the official Mountain Dew Twitch Channel.

Manos Spanos, global senior marketing director of Mountain Dew, told AListDaily that the brand partnered with these three major esports teams to bring exclusive content and access to its consumers. “Each of these esports powerhouses resonates with gamers across the globe,” Spanos said. “We are excited to see where these partnerships takes us and what’s in store for the future.”

Spanos said the brand has learned a great deal from its esports and gaming activations over the years, particularly how gamers are always looking to step up their game. “We do what we can to support them, whether it’s through one-of-a-kind content or activities like the Mountain Dew League, which provides gamers with the opportunity to turn their passion into a profession,” Spanos said. “We strive to be authentic in every space we play in, and for Mountain Dew, that means providing gamers with no-frills access and relevant content that adds to their experience.”

Mountain Dew first entered the gaming space in 2003 with its Game Fuel line of drinks. The evolution of esports over the past decade has created a separate global gaming audience, but there is a crossover of fans. “Both audiences are equally as passionate and are always looking for unique opportunities to master their craft,” Spanos said. “For us at Mountain Dew, it’s important that we tap into this passion and approach each audience in an authentic way that brings value, which is exactly what we’re doing through our three esports partnerships with Team Dignitas, Splyce and Team SK Gaming.”

Spanos said these new partnerships with Team Dignitas, Splyce and SK Gaming will provide gamers across the globe with exclusive content and access to some of the best gamers and esports celebrities in the world. The brand will be able to tap into these teams, their personalities, and their huge social followings. Outside of putting Mountain Dew on the jerseys, Spanos said these sponsorships open the door to a lot of different possibilities and new territories to explore.

“We’re really excited about the potential,” Spanos said. “It also allows for our continued support of the ever-evolving esports world.”

This news is the latest iteration of the brand’s continued focus on providing casual, amateur and professional gamers with unique experiences, training and opportunities. For example, the Mountain Dew League (MDL)—a professional competitive gaming league designed to help amateur gamers become pros—is back for its second year. The new season will offer more teams, one-of-a-kind content, training sessions and player spotlights, all designed to help players elevate their gaming skills.

Chad Biggs, senior vice president of corporate partnerships and activation at the Philadelphia 76ers told AListDaily that the Sixers have a longstanding partnership with Mountain Dew.

“Mountain Dew is looking to reach the vibrant, young, active millennial esports fan base, and Team Dignitas presents a perfect portal for them,” Biggs said. “The Mountain Dew brand has a reputation for activating in incredibly engaging and authentic ways, and we think the esports fan will really respond to that authentic effort.”

The Sixers are using their NBA marketing team to bring non-endemic brands to esports. “The integration between Mountain Dew and our team will be natural,” Biggs said. “From exposure on our Team Dignitas digital and social platforms geared towards our fans, to exposure within our team houses—Mountain Dew is a natural fit for the gaming space.”

Biggs sees the Philadelphia 76ers creating a credible bridge for traditional sports advertisers into the esports space, which he believes is a testament to the team’s demonstrated expertise and focus on original and organic activation.

“Esports fans and players are incredibly savvy and strategically minded. They understand the incredible resources, increased media exposure, marketing and opportunity for improved technology that traditional sports advertisers—especially those who pursue authentic activation, like Mountain Dew—can bring to the space,” Biggs said.