Key points:
- Underdog has been named the official partner for three Blast events
- The Counter-Strike 2 tournaments are scheduled for Libson, Monterrey and Austin
- The Blast.tv Austin Major will be North America’s first Counter-Strike 2 Major
Blast has signed a deal with Underdog to name the operator as the official partner of three large esports events this year: The Blast Premier Lisbon Open, Blast Premier Rivals and the Blast.tv Austin Major.
Underdog branding will be visible on the English-speaking broadcast, as well as on physical and digital assets around the arena.
The Blast.tv minigame, which has been created for US and Canadian audience engagement, will also have Underdog integrated into it.
Finally, Underdog will have a physical booth at the Blast.tv Austin Major, which will have exclusive opportunities for fans.
Good to know: The Blast.tv Austin Major will be North America’s first Counter-Strike 2 Major and the first Major since 2018. It will feature teams such as Vitality, Mouz, Navi, Liquid, FaZe and more
Leo Matlock, Blast Chief Business Officer, said: "We’re really excited about this collaboration with Underdog, They are a brand who’ve been a key player in the innovative and growing, sports gaming space for some years.
“Underdog has chosen a blockbuster time to partner with Blast ahead of our sold-out Blast.tv Austin Major in June.
“Beyond adding to our live broadcasts and events, we are thrilled that our dedicated and committed Blast.tv fantasy fans will have the opportunity to engage with Underdog over the next few months."
The upcoming Blast Rivals has a prize pool of $350,000 and will crown its winner on the 4 May.
Zach Powell, Underdog Director of Partnerships, said: “We’re always looking for innovative partnerships like this one with Blast Premier. We are excited to be a part of the upcoming events and to engage with a new audience through our first-ever in-person esports tournament.”
Only recently, Underdog secured additional investments as part of its Series C funding round, which valued the company at $1.23bn pre-money – almost triple its valuation from the Series B round in 2022.
