Sports nutrition company BioSteel has announced the first ever esports bench deal with NRG eSports.

The competitive gaming organization with professional teams in League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive will use BioSteel products - drinks and towels - at live events, as well as promote the brand on Twitch and YouTube streams. BioSteel’s logo will also be featured on the team’s uniforms.

“With our management team’s interests in traditional sports groups, we approached BioSteel with this unique addition to the partnership to demonstrate how we are thinking differently about how brand partners participate in eSports,” founder and chairman of NRG and co-owner of the Sacramento Kings Andy Miller said.

The partnership idea came from League of Legends star Lucas (Santorin) Larsen, who is a frequent BioSteel product user and brought the company to Miller’s attention.

After doing his own due diligence, Miller approached BioSteel to discuss the importance of player health and safety in competitive gaming and find a way to promote the nutritional brand in an original way.

“The global explosion of eSports is remarkable,” CEO of BioSteel Sports Nutrition Inc. John Celenza said. “By mirroring a partnership familiar to mainstream professional sports, it is an authentic participation for BioSteel in a new sports industry. We acknowledge the immense skill and level of influence that an eSports athlete possesses in their demanding practice and performance and are unified with NRG in promoting athlete health in eSports.”

“It is a natural partnership for us to bridge the spirit of the bench deal and BioSteel into eSports,” Miller added. “With World Champion athletes Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O’Neal, New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez and Chicago White Sox Jimmy Rollins on our own management bench, we have a unique perspective into the needs of an athlete.”