Sports apparel company Adidas announced a partnership with professional video gamer and Fortnite star Tyler “Ninja” Blevins on Tuesday.
While this is not the first time that an apparel company has signed a professional gamer to a deal, Blevins is the biggest name in gaming by a wide margin, and it could help push esports further into the mainstream.
“I remember when people used to ask me whether I could actually make a career out of gaming,” Blevins wrote. “I remember when people used to tell me this would never be ‘real.’ There are no shortcuts. Only long days. Never let anyone tell you that you can’t catch your dreams. Choose your path. Put the time in. I’m humbled, and excited, to officially announce my partnership with Adidas.”
Does someone who plays video games professionally need sneakers to perform? Probably not, but it speaks to the power of Blevins’ popularity that he was able to partner up with Adidas.
With household names such as Houston Rockets guard James Harden and Liverpool FC forward Mohamed Salah on its roster, Adidas has some of the biggest stars in sports on its roster.
Now, Adidas has the biggest name in gaming under its wing.
This marks the second major deal that Blevins has inked this summer. Blevins shocked the gaming world when he announced earlier this month that he would be leaving the live-streaming platform Twitch for rival Mixer.
“The partnership marks the sportswear brand’s commitment to gaming, blending the physical and digital worlds to help creators achieve their best,” Adidas said in a statement. “Adidas officially welcomes one of the most prolific gamers and content creators in the world to its family.”
Details of the partnership have not yet been announced, but Blevins said during a Mixer stream that they would be released soon.
