In a recent announcement, a slice of news emerged from the esports industry concerning Beyond The Summit and Papa John’s. This supreme deal brings together two organisations to form a deluxe combo, serving as a key topping on the already-growing Super Smash Bros esports community. Beyond The Summit is an esports tournament operator and organiser boasting ownership of the fifth most-viewed Twitch channel of all time.
What does this deal mean for the two organisations? Is it a cheesy partnership or is it something that the industry kneaded?
Image Credit: Esports Observer
At the core of this partnership is a one-year-long deal that will unite these two brands across North America. With Papa John’s backing, Beyond The Summit will host a string of Smash tournaments, which will heavily feature Papa John’s branding and sponsorship. Reportedly, this is a community-focused campaign, with both organisations seeking to use the power of pizza and gaming to bring fans together in a family-friendly competitive environment.
In a statement, Michelle Cheng, the VP of Sales and Marketing at BTS, said:
Smash requires gamers to physically be together and compete side by side. There’s nothing more on-brand with the philosophy of Papa John’s, then Smashers sharing a box of hot, premium pizza after an intense gameplay. Pizza brings people together. Who turns down a sizzling slice of Papa John’s after a long day at a local tournament?
As a part of this partnership, BTS and Papa John’s will reportedly together to construct and deploy a ‘Pathway to Pro’ program. This will see aspiring players climb the ranks and compete against professional players at the tournaments hosted and operated by BTS. It may seem like a relatively random deal on the surface, but food and beverage sponsors have partnered up with gaming and esports brands for many years.
Beyond The Summit has been operating in the esports space since 2013, and is one of the most successful organisations of its kind. It’s a multi-million-dollar operation, running events for dozens of titles, and not just Super Smash Bros. It might operate from a 20,000 sq ft studio in Los Angeles, but BTS is still heavily invested in grassroots esports tournaments.
This partnership between BTS and Papa John’s will fuel the ecosystem a little further, benefitting both companies. Within this deal is the power to create content focused on the Smash community, run social media campaigns and pull together a nationwide effort to broaden the Smash esports ecosystem.
Papa John’s Chief Marketing Officer, Anne Fischer, said on the subject:
While we live in a world in which people are increasingly connecting through digital channels, nothing can replace being together in-person. Eating pizza, like playing games, becomes even more enjoyable when that experience is shared with others, and we are looking forward to bringing gamers together at Smash Majors tournaments across the country.
What do you think? Are you a Smash fan, and will you be grabbing a slice of the action?
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