It was a turbulent time for esports when the League of Legends European Championship and BLAST announced partnerships with NEOM, a Saudi-Arabian city project; especially the outcry from the audience of the LEC as well as its on-air talents was striking...

LEC had to deal with massive backlash from its customers and employees because... it coherently showed an inclusive and diverse strategy... with its own take on pride week and obviously attracting talents that have different “sexual orientation.” ...

the NEOM deal fractured this fit and highlights that the hidden level of culture and image is extremely important for any organization.