World of Warcraft makes NIL debut with Washington Huskies

With the highly anticipated return of EA Sports’ College Football 25 this summer, video games are the talk of the town at NIL this season. Now, another iconic franchise – outside the football arena – has entered the NIL conversation. To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of their critically acclaimed online multiplayer game World of Warcraft, Blizzard Entertainment has announced its first college sports partnership with the University of Washington.

This week, the school will be rebranded as the “University of Warcraft,” with a new logo, culminating in in-game activation during the home finale against UCLA on Friday night. The game features World of Warcraft mascots who lead the team to the finals. field, special shirts for the student section and visuals integrated into the Husky Stadium video board production, among other unique elements

“We are thrilled to unite interactive entertainment with the sports industry to celebrate 20 incredible years of World of Warcraft, delighting millions of players around the world,” said Monica Austin, chief marketing officer at Blizzard Entertainment. “Our teams have worked together to create incredible in-person and broadcast experiences for fans, and we hope that both Husky Nation and World of Warcraft players are excited about WoW all the way to Washington.”

World of Warcraft, experienced by approximately 250 million players worldwide, will now add a few more to their roster. The partnership with Washington includes NIL deals with football players Carson Bruener, Denzel Boston, Jonah Coleman, Camden Simon, Adam Mohammad, Kamren Fabiculanan, Jacob Lane, Cameron Broussard, D’Angalo Titialli, Demond Williams Jr. and Will Rodgers who tailored “University of Warcraft” content and promoted the rebrand.

“We are excited to partner with Blizzard Entertainment in a groundbreaking collaboration that brings together the worlds of sports and gaming, and highlights our shared commitment to innovation and creativity,” said Kurt Svoboda, associate athletic director for external affairs at the University of Washington. “Our football players have had the unique opportunity to contribute to Blizzard’s 20th anniversary celebrations, gaining valuable insights into the creative production process behind an iconic brand. We look forward to the World of Warcraft takeover Friday at Husky Stadium, where two powerful brands come together for an unforgettable experience.”

Washington’s home finale against UCLA starts Friday at 9:00 PM ET at Husky Stadium and airs on FOX.