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Report: Washington, D.C. is sponsoring an esports team

Zorine Te
NRG Esports is now sponsored by Washington, D.C. (NRG)
NRG Esports is now sponsored by Washington, D.C. (NRG)

In a first-of-its-kind type of partnership, the capital of the United States has sponsored esports organization NRG Esports. The news was reported by Mashable, who conducted a series of interviews with the district’s convention and sports authority, Events D.C.

As part of the partnership with Events D.C., Washington D.C. logos will be added to the team’s jerseys, players’ streams, and the NRG website. The city will also host player bootcamps.

It’s worth noting that the sponsorship does not mean that NRG Esports is tied to Washington, D.C. unlike traditional sports teams. However, the NRG players will be spending more time in the city.

NRG Esports has teams in several games, including Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, and Hearthstone. The organization also had a League of Legends team, was which disbanded in August 2016 following relegation to the Challenger Series. The organization was founded by Sacramento Kings co-owners Andy Miller and Mark Mastrov in 2015.

In March 2016, the team announced that Alex Rodriguez, Shaquille O’Neal, and Jimmy Rollins would be joining the organization as investors. O’Neal was at the center of some controversy in July 2016, when he allegedly attempted to poach an Overwatch player.