Sports recovery brand Hyperice has announced a partnership with the San Francisco Shock of the Overwatch League. Hyperice will provide vibration therapy devices to the Shock in an effort to improve the health and wellness of gamers.
This deal marks the first time a sports performance brand has entered a health-tech partnership with a professional esports team, according to Hyperice. The company is hoping to improve esports athlete performance through vibration therapy to help relieve pain, increase mobility, and speed up the post-game recovery process. Esports athletes regularly play video games upwards of 60 hours per week according to Hyperice.
“Our athletes are the lifeblood of this organization and we are relentless in our efforts to maintain and improve the health, wellness and career longevity for each and every athlete,” said Brett Lautenbach, president of NRG Esports, which owns the San Francisco Shock. “Hyperice has a well-known leadership position in traditional sports recovery and we are excited to bring the technology and know-how into the world of esports, starting first with the San Francisco Shock,” he added in a press release.
In a video accompanying the announcement, Shock gamers stated that they can suffer discomfort in their necks and lower backs during gameplay. Each player on the team will now have access to Hyperice products, such as its vibrating foam roller Vyper, the Hypervolt massage device, and Venom, a heat-generating wearable back device. Through its partnership with the Shock, Hyperice also introduced the Hypersphere Mini, a hand-massage therapy ball geared towards gamers.
Jim Huether, CEO of Hyperice, believes gamers can extend their esports careers and boost their own performance through his company’s devices and wellness protocols. The Shock will open up its Overwatch League season this Friday against the Dallas Fuel at Blizzard Arena in Burbank, Calif.
SportTechie Takeaway
After initially designing muscle-recovery devices aimed at athletes playing traditional sports, Hyperice has shifted its attention toward the esports industry. This past July, Hyperice entered a partnership with esports consulting firm Foundry IV meant to prioritize health and wellness programs for esports professionals.