At some point over the past few years, video games became a spectator sport. Which confounds many adults.
Making it more confounding is the amount of money generated by those who participate in eSports at the highest levels. There’s also money to be made by more casual gamers with recognizable names.
Enter Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Via Bradenton.com, Smith-Schuster has a deal with HyperX. As part of the arrangement, Smith-Schuster will wear HyperX headsets in live-stream gaming sessions, he’ll participate in HyperX marketing campaigns, and he’ll appear at HyperX fan events.
“When I’m not training, studying, or at practice, I’m in my element playing video games; my HyperX headset offers the sound quality and comfort I need to stay focused and win,” Smith-Schuster said in a press release. “I wanted to work with HyperX because they have the best headsets, and I love how the brand is always looking for unique ways to work together with me. I’m so excited about this partnership.”
In March, Smith-Schuster participated in a Fortnite gaming session that included Drake, Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, and Travis Scott. Viewership shattered the all-time record on Twitch.