Vodafone Idea (Vi) has entered into a partnership with Team Vitality, the Paris-based sports organization to fortify the esports landscape in India. The collaboration aims to foster growth, providing enhanced opportunities and exposure for esports fans and gaming enthusiasts across the country.

Vi and Team Vitality plan to work together on various fronts, including brand sponsorship, content partnerships, gaming events, and large-scale unique experiences. The partnership aligns with the findings of the ‘State of India Gaming Report 2022,’ predicting that the Indian esports industry will witness substantial growth, reaching $140 million by 2027.

One of the key highlights of this collaboration is the exclusive access it will offer Vi users. They will be able to actively participate in esports activities, gaining entry into Team Vitality’s tournaments and engaging with the organization’s teams. The partnership is set to create avenues for emerging esports talent nationwide, offering them access to professional players, master classes, meet-and-greets, and various other opportunities.

Vi, already establishing its presence in the mobile games segment with a range of mobile games available through Vi Games on the Vi App, aims to deepen its focus on esports in India through this collaboration. The telecom giant, with its recent foray into esports, has successfully hosted free-to-play tournaments across popular games like Call of Duty: Mobile, Free Fire Max, Asphalt 9, and Clash Royale.

In an interview with ET Telecom, Avneesh Khosla, Chief Marketing Officer at Vi, expressed “This partnership will create opportunities for budding esports talent from across the country to have access to professional players, master classes, meet & greets with esports talent, and many other opportunities.” He further stressed on Vi’s commitment to introducing engaging esports content for its consumers.

Randall Fernandez, Managing Director of Team Vitality India, shared his enthusiasm, 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.”

This is another significant esports collaboration, after the one between Nazara and Freaks4U partnership. With esports gaining immense popularity in India, these collaborations will make significant contributions to the country’s esports ecosystem, offering exciting prospects for both players and fans.