Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Co., Ltd. and SK Telecom CS T1 Co., Ltd have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in “the esports business” via South Korean esports organization T1 and Japanese esports organization Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Gaming. The story was first reported by Yuki Matsumoto.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
According to a release, the organizations will work together to implement a player development and League of Legends training program. They will also work together to improve “brand value” through joint marketing efforts and joint business strategies. The deal may extend beyond League of Legends, though both companies are still in discussions about the depth and breadth of this new alliance.
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Gaming is the esports division of Japanese professional baseball team Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, which plays in the Nippon Professional Baseball Pacific League. Its gaming division competes in the League of Legends Japan League. T1 competes in the League of Legends Korea Championship.
