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Berlin International Gaming (BIG) have announced a partnership expansion with cryptocurrency giant Coinbase. The new deal puts the crypto exchange platform as the principal partner of BIG’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team.
Both parties first got into collaboration in August 2021 and have since then upheld the partnership. However, the initial deal was centered around digital activations through community development.
With this expansion, Coinbase will replace Betway as the main sponsor, and this will be represented in their new jerseys. The Coinbase logo, which was displayed on the sleeves, will be boldly written at the center of their jersey, a spot that was previously occupied by Betway.
BIG also revealed that the new partnership would spread to other areas, including hosting community events.
While specifics on the deal were not shared, a statement released by BIG CEO Daniel Finkler revealed that it is a multimillion-dollar, long-term deal.
“The extension of the partnership with Coinbase as the new BIG CS: GO Main Partner is a significant milestone for our organization. The financial scope of the partnership demonstrates that the acquisition of the BLAST Premier and ESL Pro League Partner Slots in 2021 proved to be the best decision we could have made. Together with Coinbase, we will compete in the largest and most prestigious esports competitions globally,” he said.
“It honors me a lot that we were able to win the world’s leading crypto platform as a long-term partner. Over the past few years, Coinbase has become a market leader in the rapidly growing and extremely exciting crypto market. As the main partner, Coinbase will contribute significantly to the further development and growth of Berlin International Gaming.”
Finkler also expressed his gratitude to sports marketing agency SPORTSFIVE for facilitating the negotiation:
“I am very grateful for the trust in BIG and look forward to working with Chris Grundy and the Coinbase team. A big thank you also goes to SPORTFIVE for the excellent cooperation and facilitation of one of the largest esport deals in the DACH region!”
Coinbase’s Germany country manager, Sascha Rangoonwala, also spoke on the partnership. He expressed satisfaction with their previous collaboration and is hopeful for more impact.
“BIG has been a fantastic partner since summer 2021. This partnership with Germany’s leading eSports organization, BIG, has proven to help us better reach digital natives and educate them about the benefits and risks of cryptocurrencies. That’s why we’ve now deepened the partnership and look forward to driving the awareness and adoption of crypto assets in Germany together,” Rangoonwala said.
Despite Betway’s displacement, the bookmaker still has deals with several global companies. Some of the popular brands include computer manufacturer OMEN and chair manufacturer Backforce.
BIG did not make a good impression at the 2022 PGL Major Antwerp. A second-place finish in Europe’s Regional Major Ranking guaranteed them a spot in the Legends Stage of the tournament.
Unfortunately, they failed to secure a top-eight finish in the Legends Stage to secure a Champions Stage berth. With a 1-3 record, they finished 13th (11th in the Major), failing to get circuit points.
In the just-concluded IEM Dallas, BIG lost their opportunity to gather as many points as possible. Despite reaching the playoffs after an impressive display in the group stage, they fell to the eventual champions Cloud9 2-1 in the semifinals.
BIG currently stand 11th in the global rankings. If they do not turn their year around, they will miss the BLAST Premier World Final scheduled for December 12.
