# Cross-Sport Sponsorships This Sponsorship Brings Together Spanish Soccer and eSports Teams By Rahul Kalvapalle | Published 2016-08-08 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft References: [esportsbettingreport](http://www.esportsbettingreport.com/valencia-cf-soccer-club-sponsoring-hearthstone-esports-team/) & [twitter](https://twitter.com/valenciacf/status/740141607832408064?ref_src=twsrc^tfw) Spanish soccer club [Valencia CF](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/natural-pesticide-alternative) is looking to get involved with [eSports](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grow-up) sponsorships by signing a partnership deal with a Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft team. Developed by [Blizzard Entertainment](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/overwatch-2-2), Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is a spin-off on the legendary Warcraft series, and features players competing by playing cards from hand. The game is estimated to have over 50 million active players, making it a promising sector for sponsorship and branding opportunities. The Valencia-sponsored team's debut was slated for the Gamergy eSports tournament held in Spain in June, and featuring two of the country's most popular Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft streamers on the Twitch service. This particular sponsorship goes to show that there is a lot of potential for symbiotic business relationships between eSports and traditional sports, and could signal increasing instances of powerful and established sports teams looking to invest in disruptive eSports. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.9/10 - Popularity: 33% | Activity: 16% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/games) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Cross-sport Partnerships:** The Valencia CF sponsorship demonstrates the potential for collaborations between traditional and eSports teams. - **Esports Sponsorships:** The growing popularity of eSports presents branding opportunities for traditional sports teams. - **Powerful Sports Teams Investing in Esports:** Established sports teams like Valencia CF are showing interest in disruptive eSports ventures. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Sports Sponsorship:** Cross-sport partnerships allow for innovative sponsorship opportunities within the sports industry. - **Esports:** eSports sponsorships offer branding and marketing possibilities within the rapidly expanding eSports industry. - **Gaming and Entertainment:** The convergence of traditional sports and eSports creates disruption and investment opportunities in the gaming and entertainment sector. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Club-Backed Esports Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dux-gaming.md) - [Scottish Esports Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/esports-scotland.md) - [Esports Team Sponsors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/los-grandes.md) - [Football Club Esports Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/barcelona-esports.md) - [Supermarket Esports Sponsors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grupo-dia.md) - [Marketing-Centric Esports Deals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fnatic-3.md) - [Esports Expansion Agreements](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gentle-mates.md) - [Portugal-Based Esports Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grow-up.md) - [eSports Live-Stream Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/livestream-features.md)