Which company is widely credited as the first major non-endemic brand to sponsor a professional eSports team, marking a turning point in gaming marketing strategy?

The gaming industry has evolved dramatically in its marketing approaches, particularly with the rise of competitive gaming. One landmark shift occurred when major non-endemic brands began to see the value in sponsoring eSports teams and events. Test your knowledge about this pivotal marketing strategy development that helped legitimize competitive gaming as a mainstream entertainment option and opened the floodgates for billion-dollar investments in the gaming ecosystem.

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Intel (1997, sponsoring the Cyberathlete Professional League)
Red Bull (2006, sponsoring Walshy from Halo's Team Final Boss)
Coca-Cola (2001, sponsoring the World Cyber Games)
Nike (2009, sponsoring the StarCraft Brood War team SK Telecom T1)