The Overwatch League is losing some major sponsors in the form of Coca-Cola and State Farm amid the ongoing discrimination lawsuit against Blizzard.
Blizzard has been feeling the heat in recent weeks after news of a major harassment and discrimination lawsuit rocked the company, resulting in major firings, resignations, and an employee walk out.
While T-Mobile had already seen its ads pulled from Overwatch League broadcasts, it seems like other sponsors are following their lead, primarily Coca-Cola.
On August 5, a Washington Post report indicated that State Farm and Coca-Cola are reevaluating their partnerships with the league.
A spokesperson for Coca-Cola said they are “aware of the allegations surrounding Activision Blizzard” and “are working with our partners at Blizzard as we take a step back for a moment to revisit future plans and programs,” according to the report.
Meanwhile, State Farm issued a similar response stating they’re “reevaluating our limited marketing relationship with the Overwatch League” and have requested no ads are run during the upcoming weekend’s broadcast.
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It’s unclear, however, if Coca-Cola is going to continue sponsoring the league as they reportedly declined to comment on this factor. It should be noted, however, that Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick sits on the board of directors for Coke.
Additionally, on August 6, Pringles Wavy and Cheez it Grooves vanished from the league’s website. In a statement to Polygon, their parent company Kellogs confirmed they were ending their partnership.
“We find these allegations troubling and inconsistent with our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion… While Activision Blizzard has announced plans to address the challenging issues it faces, we will not be moving forward with any new programs this year, but will continue to review progress made against their plans,” spokesperson Kris Bahner said
The news comes as the Overwatch League heads towards its season playoffs in the next few weeks with live events scheduled for Texas and the Grand Finals in LA.
