Innovation

Agreement highlights Phoenix as leading esports team in Southeast US

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – Carolina Esports Hub today announced a multi-year agreement with Coca-Cola Consolidated, the brand’s largest bottler, to become an Official Partner of its Charlotte Phoenix professional esports team and Stay Plugged In, the organization’s market-leading college esports recruiting platform for high school students. The agreement provides Coca-Cola and Coke Creations brands exclusivity in the beverage category, ensuring fans will enjoy Coca-Cola products at the Carolina Esports Hub in Charlotte, N.C.

The Charlotte Phoenix will incorporate Coca-Cola branding on its jerseys and in the team’s streamed competition and gaming content.  As part of the agreement, the team’s headquarters will be outfitted with Coca-Cola branding, including a themed stage for esports competitions. Fans interacting with the team’s players and content creators will also have access to special product drops.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Coca-Cola Consolidated and look forward to integrating the full range of Coca-Cola and Coke Creations products into our world of esports,” said Jeff Zajac, Managing Director of the Charlotte Phoenix.  

Through the partnership with Coke, Stay Plugged In will provide scholarship opportunities to high school students seeking to play competitive collegiate esports or pursuing educational opportunities that support the esports ecosystem. Over the past year, hundreds of students have accepted offers to play varsity college esports through the Stay Plugged In platform. The students received nearly $10 million in scholarship support.

“We are extremely excited about our partnership with Charlotte Phoenix and Stay Plugged In,” said Dan Holmes, Senior Vice President, Brand Marketing & Commercialization for Coca-Cola Consolidated. “We recognize the growing popularity of esports and gaming, and this partnership provides us with a great vehicle to reach this unique consumer base. Stay Plugged In is an incredible platform that provides talented students with the resources to reach their education goals, and we are proud to support its mission.”

Coca-Cola joins McDonalds, NASCAR, Next Level Racing and RaceDayNFT as sponsors.

The Phoenix participate in Rocket League, Apex Legends and the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. Fans can watch the competition on Twitch or engage with the organization’s new content creators which will be announced over the next few days.

About Charlotte Phoenix

Headquartered in Charlotte, NC and founded in 2019, The Charlotte Phoenix is the flagship esports team of the Carolinas, fielding teams in Rocket League, Apex Legends and iRacing. For more information about the Charlotte Phoenix visit clt.gg

About Stay Plugged In

Stay Plugged In is the nation’s leading college esports recruiting platform, enabling high school students to connect with college recruiters, showcase their skills and participate in educational and other opportunities designed to enhance the students’ marketability.  For more information about Stay Plugged In, go to staypluggedin.gg.

About Carolina Esports Hub

Carolina Esports Hub is the holding company for the Charlotte Phoenix and Stay Plugged In, and the company’s headquarters, located in Charlotte, NC.  For more information about the Carolina Esports Hub, go to carolinaesports.gg.

About Coca-Cola Consolidated

Coca-Cola Consolidated is the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. Our Purpose is to honor God in all we do, to serve others, to pursue excellence, and to grow profitably. For over 120 years, we have been deeply committed to the consumers, customers, and communities we serve and are passionate about the broad portfolio of beverages and services we offer. We make, sell, and distribute beverages of The Coca-Cola Company and other partner companies in more than 300 brands and flavors across 14 states and the District of Columbia to approximately 60 million consumers.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Coca-Cola Consolidated is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “COKE.” More information about the Company is available at www.cokeconsolidated.com. Follow Coca-Cola Consolidated on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.