The 2024 League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) Finals––which took place at the state-of-the-art YouTube Theater in Los Angeles on September 6-7––marked the first time the venue hosted such a hotly anticipated esports event, cementing the city’s status as an emerging hub for competitive gaming. Previously hosted at iconic venues like Madison Square Garden, the Air Canada Centre, and the United Center, the finals’ return to LA after a 10-year absence not only featured a fierce battle for the title, but also showcased an array of high-profile partnerships that are helping to drive the exploding esports ecosystem forward.

As the esports arena continues to expand its footprint in mainstream entertainment, sponsors are increasingly playing a pivotal role in elevating the fan experience. The LCS has long attracted major brands eager to tap into the highly engaged gaming audience, and this year was no exception, with a vibrant lineup of legacy sponsors like Mastercard, Secretlab, Red Bull, and Samsung, as well as new partners including AT&T, Pagoda, and KIA. 

Replacing Verizon as the league’s telecom partner, AT&T made its presence known as the presenting sponsor of the LCS Fan Fest, located just outside the YouTube Theater––underscoring a larger trend of telecom companies leveraging esports to attract younger, tech-savvy consumers. 

KIA’s LCS sponsorship debut introduced a series of awards that celebrated the tournament’s top talent and aligned with the automaker’s ethos of innovation and performance. These accolades included the KIA MVP Award––won by Jung "Impact" Eon-yeong, a top laner for Team Liquid and a 6x LCS champion––KIA All-Pro Team Recognition, and KIA Rookie of the Year Award. 

Team-specific sponsorship activations also took center stage at the matchup. FlyQuest, the underdog that clinched its first-ever LCS championship 3-1 against Team Liquid, promoted its partnerships with brands including Anda Seat, NZXT, and Olipop. Team Liquid’s robust sponsorship stable included Alienware, Coinbase, Honda, IMC, Monster, SAP, Secretlab, Thorne, and SUI. 

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