# Branded Esports Events American Eagle is Hosting a Virtual Esports Event with Celebrities By Daniel Johnson | Published 2020-07-16 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtual-esports-event References: [mobilemarketer](https://www.mobilemarketer.com/news/american-eagle-launches-1st-esports-sponsorship-with-virtual-event/581718/) & [edgelive.gg](https://www.edgelive.gg/) American Eagle is sponsoring its first-ever virtual esports event, named Experiential Development for Gaming and Esports, or EDGE. The virtual esports event was created by VY Esports, which is a marketing company that operates in the gaming industry. The event will consist of people competing in ‘Madden NFL,’ which is a football game. The event will be hosted by Jess Brohard, who is a gaming influencer. Other famous individuals will take part in the event, including athletes, artists, and professional esports players. The list of attendees includes Derwin James, a player for the [Los Angeles Chargers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tcl-115inch-qdmini-led-tv), Cam Akers, a player for the Los Angles Rams, YBN Nahmir, a rapper, as well as professional gamers form [FaZe Clan](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/xfinity-1), as well as [Team Liquid](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/villainverse). Image Credit: Jamie McInall / Pexels ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.7/10 - Popularity: 63% | Activity: 40% | Freshness: 9% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/branding) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Virtual Esports Events:** Opportunity for brands to engage with gamers through virtual esports events. - **Celebrities in Gaming:** Opportunity for brands to leverage the popularity of celebrities by incorporating them into gaming events. - **Cross-industry Collaborations:** Opportunity for brands from different industries to collaborate and enter the gaming and esports space. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Marketing:** Brands can leverage esports events as a marketing strategy to reach a younger audience. - **Gaming:** Gaming companies can organize virtual esports events to promote their games and engage with the community. - **Apparel:** Apparel brands can sponsor esports events to tap into the gaming culture and connect with a new consumer base. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Esports Community Events](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/valorant.md) - [Virtual Esports Tournaments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtex.md) - [Mobile Esports Events](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tribe-gaming-1.md) - [Esports Retailer Collaborations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/excel-esports.md) - [Collegiate Esports Tournaments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/brag-house-1.md) - [Grooming Brand Esports Deals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gillette.md) - [Marketing-Focused Esports Deals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/og-esports.md) - [Esports Cinema Viewings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fornite-pro-am-2025.md) - [Esports Fan Community Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/villainverse.md)