Blood Centers of America partners with LCS as their ‘Official First Blood Partner’
Published: Mar 3, 2021
The North American League of Legends competition the League Championship Series has announced that they have entered into a partnership with the Blood Centers of America (BCA). The Blood Centers of America partnership has been aptly named the ‘Official First Blood Partner’ of the LCS.
The partnership
The partnership will see the two companies work together on a campaign that encourages League of Legends fans who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate their convalescent plasma (CCP). This campaign, “First Blood Saves” begins this Friday, March 5th. Throughout the month of March, game broadcasts will help promote the CCP challenge, encouraging viewers to donate their blood plasma. In exchange, donors will be rewarded with an in-game Kai’Sa skin from the League of Legends game.
If League of Legends fans choose to donate by signing up through a dedicated website, ccp.gg, and then donate their convalescent plasma in any of BCA’s 60 plus independent community blood centers across the United States they will Receive a League of Legends skin to use in-game.
Comments from the organisations
Bill Block, CEO of Blood Centers of America talked about the need for donors and their new partnership in a press release:
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, blood centers have played a vital role in offering one of the few therapies approved for Emergency Use for patients hospitalized with the virus. In order to keep up with the significant demand for this vital therapy, CCP donors have been a critical part in continuing to ensure its availability. As the need for CCP decreases, we are asking donors to consider donating their blood for other life-saving opportunities. The partnership with the LCS is a novel way to reach a population to help us continue to keep our blood supplies in a healthy state during the pandemic and beyond.”
In the same release, Matthew Archambault, Head of Esports Partnerships, Riot Games North America & Oceania wrote:
“The LCS admires the work that BCA and its network continue to do, supporting pandemic relief and enhancing local communities’ ability to supply safe and reliable blood supply. We hope that, with the help of our fans, we can amplify the organization’s efforts to increase CCP donations and significantly lessen the profound impact of COVID-19.”
The need for plasma
According to the release, Blood Centers of America and the LCS hope to reach hundreds of thousands of gamers and millions of Americans to raise awareness of the urgent need for CCP and all blood donations in general. In the same release, they also announced that more information about the campaign would be revealed in upcoming LCS broadcasts and across social media.
Riot Games’ partnerships
This is one of the many new partners that Riot Games have included in their new 2021 esports season. Yesterday we reported on the major expansion of Verizon’s sponsorship deal with Riot Games that would see them become the official 5G wireless and network service partner for two key Riot Games titles, League of Legends and VALORANT.
This new partnership is a fantastic way of advertising the need for blood donors in the fight against COVID-19 as the League Championship Series is one of the most popular esports league in North America.
