WHAT IS A SPONSOR?
A sponsor is an individual or a company that supports a team under its banner, pays them a monthly salary, and in return expects results. Any sponsor who pays money expects returns. No company pays salaries just out of goodwill. Even in a normal job, if you earn ₹50,000 per month, the company expects you to generate much higher revenue—maybe ₹5 lakhs per month. This is how business works: employee, company, salary, and profit all run in a cycle.
In esports, many players fail to understand this. They think that after winning 5–6 tournaments, sponsors will automatically come looking for them. In reality, this is not how it works.
Sponsors want returns for the money they spend. Sponsorship is not charity—it is a business.
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF SPONSORS IN ESPORTS
There are two main types of sponsors:
• Companies
• Individuals
Now, how do these sponsors take returns after spending so much money?
WHY COMPANIES INVEST AND HOW THEY TAKE RETURNS
PRODUCT OR SERVICE–BASED RETURNS
Companies like iQOO or OnePlus have products—mobile phones—that sell globally. The money they spend on sponsorship is shown as marketing expense. They usually sponsor top BGMI teams because they know these teams can generate returns through tournament wins, product visibility, and brand image.
Sometimes, companies sponsor 3–4 teams at the same time and spend lakhs of rupees per player every month. In return, they get product sales and brand promotion. Players may not directly sell products, but through logos, jerseys, and in-game or video appearances, the brand is promoted—often without direct advertising.
IMPORTANCE OF BRAND IMAGE AND BEHAVIOR
If a company does not have a clear product or service to promote, it may see sponsorship as an investment to build brand image.
However, for brand image building, a very large audience is required. Companies will not approach players with just 2–3k Instagram followers. Teams like Soul and GodLike are sponsored because their performance, audience size, and brand value are already proven.
Even then, only 1–2% of companies do this, and such investments are usually temporary, not long-term.
INDIVIDUAL SPONSORS (DIRECT SPONSORS)
The second type is individual or direct sponsors. These sponsors usually do not have a big company, brand, or product, or they are at a very early stage.
They mostly try to hire players found on Discord—players who do not upload videos and have no social media reach. In this category, there are thousands of players but very few sponsors (maybe 10–15). Usually, these sponsors pay ₹6,000–₹10,000 per month. Honestly, within 2–3 months, most players are removed. No one is rich enough to keep paying ₹10,000 per player every month. When you add manager salary, coach fees, paid scrims, tournament slots, etc., expenses can reach ₹70,000 or more at a time. Eventually, the sponsor gets tired and drops the plan.
Direct sponsorship means paying a fixed monthly salary. If a team is paid without proper testing and later fails, disbands, or quits, the entire amount becomes a loss. No stable company can keep paying salaries without evaluating performance first, because it damages long-term business sustainability.
These sponsors usually have many team options, but local sponsorships are temporary and end after some time.
Many esports organizations fail because they start paying salaries too early. Short-term hype often destroys long-term stability.
WHY FREE SPONSORSHIP IS A MYTH
Many players believe that sponsors should support them for free simply because they are talented. In reality, free sponsorship does not exist. Every sponsorship involves cost, and every cost must be justified. If a player cannot justify the investment through performance, audience reach, or brand value, the sponsorship turns into a liability instead of an asset. Talent alone is not enough. Without returns, no sponsor—individual or company—can sustain support for long.
HOW COMPANIES HIRE PLAYERS
No sponsor will hire players who demand ₹1 lakh but can only generate ₹100 in return—and on top of that show ego and attitude. Even you, if you were a sponsor, would not do that.
A sponsor is an employer, and the player is an employee. A sponsor will hire a player only when there is some kind of profit.
WHY MOST PLAYERS GET REJECTED BY SPONSORS
Most players are rejected by sponsors not because they lack raw skill, but because they lack consistency, discipline, and visibility. Winning one or two tournaments does not prove long-term value. Sponsors look for players who can consistently perform, stay active, and represent a brand over time.
A player who wins a tournament and then disappears has very little value from a sponsor’s point of view. In contrast, a player who performs steadily, uploads content regularly, maintains discipline, and stays visible builds trust. Sponsorship decisions are based on trust and long-term potential, not short-term hype.
IMPORTANT OF BRAND IMAGE AND BEHAVIOUR
This is where brand image matters. When a company sponsors a team, that team represents the company publicly. If players show toxic behavior, break rules, or get involved in controversies, the sponsor’s image is damaged. That is why companies observe discipline, professionalism, and behavior before offering sponsorship.
Sponsored players are usually highly skilled, patient, calm, and disciplined—not players who win 4–5 tournaments and start overestimating themselves. These players have audiences in the millions. Do you have that kind of audience? If not, how will you sell their product?
If you had such an audience, companies like iQOO or teams like Soul and GodLike might approach you themselves. But if you stay away from social media and YouTube content creation and do not upload videos, how will that happen?
SKILLS, AUDIENCE, AND REVENUE EXPECTATIONS
Companies hire patient, skilled players with no ego or attitude. If a company invests ₹1 lakh, the player should generate around ₹5 lakhs in revenue.
Think honestly about your current level. I am not judging you—I am only helping you realize what level you are at and whether high-level sponsorship is possible at that stage. Big sponsorships are not possible at a low level. Small amounts might be, but not big ones.
If you want to earn like Soul or GodLike, you need to improve your skills and grow your audience on social media.
You must show brands that you are worthy of earning that amount. Otherwise, it is not possible. Finding a local sponsor is like searching for a needle in a field.
WHAT SPONSORS CHECK BEFORE SAYING YES
Before offering sponsorship, companies and serious sponsors evaluate multiple factors. Performance history, consistency, and improvement over time are closely observed. Social media presence and audience engagement matter because they directly affect brand visibility.
Sponsors also check player behavior, discipline, and public conduct. Toxic behavior, rule-breaking, or controversies can damage a brand’s image. Team stability and long-term vision are equally important. Sponsorship decisions are not emotional; they are calculated, data-driven, and focused on risk versus return.
MTB’s Stand on Sponsorship
MTB is not against sponsorship—we ourselves give sponsorships. But we strongly believe that sponsorship must be earned, tested, and mutually beneficial.
The way many players currently look at sponsors and demand sponsorship is wrong.
Players should play under a sponsor, not act as if the sponsor is under them. If you want sponsorship and have demands, then improve your skills, maintain neutral and professional behavior, grow your social media reach and audience, win tournaments, and prove that you can win. Sponsors will approach you themselves.