Riot partners with Nielsen for esports monitoring

Games publisher Riot has announced a partnership with Nielsen to better value the exposure of its sponsors and advertisers at League of Legends events.

The companies confirmed that Nielsen will evaluate the League of Legends Championship Series in North America and the League of Legends European Championship, along with a select group of regional leagues in Asia in 2019 and 2020.

In particular, Nielsen will have access to Riot’s aggregated streaming viewership data – including multiple platforms along with the newly-launched Pro View subscription OTT platform. The data gathered will then be incorporated into Nielsen’s Esport24 syndicated sponsorship valuation product.

Nicole Pike, managing director of Nielsen Esports said: “As esports continues to gain momentum with brand marketers and advertisers, the need for independent, third-party verification of audiences and brand exposure is critical. With this agreement, we have the opportunity to help monetize Riot Games’ platform and validate this growing market.”

Doug Watson, head of Esports Insights at Riot Games added: “Trust and transparency are vital components of building and maintaining relationships with brand partners. As major companies invest in our tournaments, we want to help them see the value of their exposure and identify how best to engage with our passionate fan base.”