LEC partners with Prideletics to support The Trevor Project

TL;DR

  • LEC expands Prideletics partnership to Europe with 10% of t-shirt sales supporting The Trevor Project
  • The Trevor Project provides critical suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ youth globally
  • Multiple esports organizations including Overwatch League teams are implementing similar initiatives
  • Strategic partnerships create tangible community benefits beyond symbolic gestures
  • Merchandise sales directly fund life-saving crisis intervention programs

LEC casters and analysts wearing Prideletics esports pride t-shirts

The League of Legends European Championship (LEC) has forged a meaningful collaboration with athletic apparel specialist Prideletics, channeling merchandise proceeds toward The Trevor Project’s vital initiatives.

This strategic alliance represents a significant expansion of Riot Games’ existing partnership with Prideletics, initially launched in June and now extending across European markets. The partnership structure ensures that 10% of all esports pride t-shirt revenue directly supports The Trevor Project’s operational costs.

Riot Games strategically timed the European rollout to maximize impact, leveraging the LEC’s substantial platform to amplify LGBTQ+ visibility. The League of Legends esports social media channels showcased this commitment through professionally produced imagery featuring prominent LEC casters, analysts, and broadcast personalities modeling the exclusive merchandise.

The collection became available for immediate shipping throughout both United States and European territories, significantly expanding the initiative’s geographical reach and potential fundraising capacity.

During Pride Month observances, the LCS previously launched limited-edition pride pins and complementary t-shirts, with organizations like Team Liquid and Cloud9 introducing their own distinctive pride pin variations.

Riot Games continues to deepen its commitment to substantive social impact through the LEC partnership extension. The Trevor Project maintains its position as the globe’s most extensive suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization specifically serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning young individuals.

This nonprofit delivers around-the-clock crisis support through multiple channels including telephone, text, and online chat systems, providing immediate assistance to vulnerable youth during their most challenging moments.

Prideletics operates as a purpose-driven athletic apparel enterprise dedicated to supporting the LGBT+ community with inclusive products designed for universal wearability. The brand actively champions visibility across sports disciplines while maintaining ongoing collaborative relationships with diverse charitable organizations.

The signature esports pride t-shirt remains accessible through Prideletics’ official digital storefront, with pricing beginning at $27 per unit. Each purchase generates measurable social impact beyond the tangible product itself.

The esports sector continues navigating substantial challenges regarding inclusion and equality implementation, making developer-led initiatives like Riot’s partnership particularly impactful. These collaborative models actively foster necessary dialogue while contributing to establishing protected environments for marginalized communities within gaming spaces.

The movement extends well beyond League of Legends ecosystems, as demonstrated by the Overwatch League’s Florida Mayhem organization publicly supporting Equality Florida. The competitive team committed 100% of profits generated from Overwatch League Team Pride merchandise sales, supplemented by an additional $5 contribution per shirt sold.

Blizzard Entertainment maintains direct operational partnerships with The Trevor Project, with the Overwatch development team releasing an exclusive pride-themed pin collection.

Industry analysts note that successful inclusion initiatives typically share several key characteristics: authentic organizational commitment, transparent financial structures, community co-design processes, and long-term sustainability planning. Organizations should avoid superficial “rainbow-washing” by ensuring initiatives deliver tangible community benefits beyond symbolic gestures.

Practical implementation strategies include establishing clear metrics for success, creating accountability mechanisms, and integrating community feedback loops throughout program development cycles.

Effective LGBTQ+ inclusion in esports requires moving beyond visibility toward substantive structural change. Partnerships should demonstrate measurable outcomes through both quantitative metrics (funds raised, reach numbers) and qualitative indicators (community sentiment, perceived safety).

Organizations can maximize impact by implementing multi-tiered approaches: educational components for community members, visible representation in broadcast content, and direct financial support for organizations doing frontline work.

Common implementation pitfalls include insufficient budget allocation, lack of long-term commitment, and failure to integrate initiatives into core organizational operations. Successful programs typically feature dedicated staff resources, clear success metrics, and regular impact assessment protocols.

For sustained success, initiatives should evolve beyond seasonal activations (like Pride Month) toward year-round programming that addresses both immediate needs and systemic barriers.

Looking toward future developments, industry leaders anticipate increased collaboration between esports organizations and established LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, creating more sophisticated and impactful partnership models.

Action Checklist

  • Purchase official Prideletics esports merchandise to directly fund The Trevor Project’s crisis services
  • Research organizational partnerships before supporting to ensure authentic commitment
  • Engage with community discussions about inclusion initiatives to provide constructive feedback
  • Amplify positive initiatives through social media sharing to increase visibility
  • Document and share personal experiences with inclusive gaming environments to help organizations understand real impact
  • Monitor organizational follow-through on inclusion commitments beyond initial announcements
  • Advocate for year-round inclusion programming rather than seasonal initiatives alone

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