Toronto Defiant has struck a multi-year deal with Canon Canada to be the official camera sponsor of the Overwatch League team. Team owner OverActive Media made the announcement today, detailing some of the brand integration viewers should expect to see starting with Defiant's first game in Stage 4 of this seasons OWL.
While many teams have gaming-centric sponsors, such as London Spitfire sponsor Logitech, Canon is one of the biggest companies to sign a multi-year deal with an individual team. The league itself has many corporate sponsors, such as Coca-Cola, the official non-alcoholic beverage of the OWL, and Toyota, the official North-American automotive partner, but Canon is a big get for Defiant and has some major plans to bring their brand forward in the league.
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Defiant players will now sport a Canon logo on their jerseys and will be posting a "Canon photo of the day" on their social media after each game. They will also be holding a contest to find the official photographer of the Toronto Defiant for next season, when the league will convert to a geo-centric model allowing teams to host home games in their respective cities.
Canon has also detailed a "Behind the Lens" video series, also starting next year, and will be growing their presence with both the team and the league during the contracted length of their agreement. Justin Lam, senior vice president and GM of Canon Canada’s Imagine Technologies and Communications Group posted this press release in reference to the partnership:
“Canon is thrilled to be partnering with OAM and providing the esports community an opportunity to level up the quality of their video streaming content. With Canon being a worldwide leader in imaging, we felt this was a natural fit for our brand and products to offer gamers the ability to stand out with their content—be it as a professional gamer or someone streaming from their home on Twitch or YouTube, while using a dedicated Canon Digital SLR or Mirrorless camera.”
OWL received a breath of fresh air at the start of stage 4 with the enforcement of role lock. Teams are now required to stick to a 2-2-2 composition, which prevents the oppressive 3-3 "GOATS" comp from ever seeing play in the league again. Players have been revitalized by this change, but unfortunately, it may be too late for Defiant, as they are entering stage 4 with a record of 7-16. Let's hope a boost from Canon makes an positive impact on their performance next season.