North American youth esports franchise XP League has announced that esports organisation DarkZero Esports will become its first official pro-team partner.

As part of the deal, XP League will align its brand with DarkZero to further promote youth esports and mentorship within the industry.

In addition, the organisation will work closely with XP League on the brand’s Tilt Cancer campaign in collaboration with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). DarkZero will be sponsoring ten LLS players so they can join its teams, as well as engage in a fun gaming and esports environment.

While working with the LLS, XP League has also been matching immunocompromised players with its teams so that they can participate in a coach-led youth esports team.

On the other hand, DarkZero has active partnerships with gaming furniture manufacturer RESPAWN, FPS training tool Aim Lab, and esports apparel brand Raven. In the past, the organisation also managed to secure a partnership with Resorts World Las Vegas.

Jay Melamed, CEO and Brand President at XP League, commented on the partnership: “We are thrilled to align our brand with the incredible DarkZero organisation. Pro-team partnerships like this are important as they help to validate the importance of youth esports and mentorship within the industry.”

Founded in 2020, XP League provides young gamers with a nine-week seasonal programme, including one practice and one match per week. Each XP League team is led by a coach who teaches skills such as resiliency, teamwork and sportsmanship on top of gaming skills. Currently, the company operates in Fortnite, Rocket League, Overwatch and VALORANT.