Drone Racing League Partners with BODYARMOR, Champion Athleticwear and RESPAWN as 2020 LIVE Racing Season Begins

NEW YORK, Nov. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Drone Racing League (DRL), the global, professional drone racing property, today announced new first-time partnerships with premium sports drink BODYARMOR, innovative apparel brand Champion Athleticwear and gaming furniture brand RESPAWN. The partners will be integrated into the 2020 DRL Allianz World Championship Season, which continues airing live this Sunday, November 22nd at 1:30pm ET on NBC, Twitter, and Facebook. Throughout the season, DRL Pilots battle it out in the DRL SIM, the immersive drone racing video game available on Steam and XBOX.

"DRL continues to attract incredible partners, including BODYARMOR, Champion, and RESPAWN," said DRL President Rachel Jacobson. "Our sport delivers the next generation of fans that are difficult to reach through traditional channels. We are scaling professional drone racing together with bold, forward-thinking partners that embrace the new playing field of sports."

The partnership with BODYARMOR marks another breakthrough for DRL, as it will be the first time the innovative, premium beverage brand will foray into the growing world of esports and gaming. BODYARMOR has incredible momentum and continues to expand its portfolio with key partnerships with MLS, UFC and most recently – the U.S. Open. Entering into the fast-paced world of professional drone racing, BODYARMOR will be showcased by DRL through in-season product placement integrations and unique social content – much like this video of BODYARMOR flying FPV (First Person View) on a drone operated by 2018 DRL Allianz World Champion NURK.

"The Drone Racing League is one of the most exciting sports properties today, and we are thrilled to partner with them as we establish our first-ever esports partnership," said Michael Fedele, Vice President of Marketing at BODYARMOR. "This partnership with DRL creates a tremendous opportunity for BODYARMOR to engage new fans and consumers nationwide and play an important role in the hydration needs of some of the world's most elite drone pilots and athletes."

Starting Sunday, November 22nd, Champion will release a new product line dedicated to drone racing fans expanding on their desire to be at the forefront of new sports and sports-style that appeals to their consumer base. The merchandise collaboration includes an all-new, limited-edition DRL Flight Suit sweatshirt and sweatpants available on Champion.com and DRL.io. DRL's 2020 Season will feature a national commercial spot promoting Champion's racing set as part of a digital campaign, #AMillionChampionsFlying, to encourage fans to share photos of them flying on the DRL SIM or in the real world.

"As a brand that embraces innovation, sports and sportstyle Champion is thrilled to team up with The Drone Racing League and offer the ultimate flying uniform for next generation sports fans and pilots to be their own champion -- in the DRL SIM game, in the air, and IRL," said Champion Group President of Global Activewear, Jon Ram.

Throughout the 2020 Season, DRL pilots will compete for the Allianz World Champion title from sleek, ergonomic RESPAWN gaming chairs.

These new additions add to an ever-growing list of DRL partnerships.

Media Contact:
Melanie Wallner, Director of Communications
melanie@drl.io

ABOUT DRL
The Drone Racing League (DRL) is the global, professional drone racing property for elite FPV (First Person View) pilots. Merging the digital with the real, DRL combines innovative drone technology, custom content, and visually thrilling racing across live sporting and esports events to create the new playing field. Founded by Nicholas Horbaczewski in 2015, DRL is a privately held company headquartered in NYC. For more information, visit www.drl.io. To join the conversation, follow DRL on Facebook at facebook.com/thedroneracingleague, on Twitter @DroneRaceLeague, and on Instagram @thedroneracingleague.

About BODYARMOR
BODYARMOR is a premium sports drink that provides superior hydration. It is packed with electrolytes, coconut water and vitamins and is low in sodium and high in potassium. Created in 2011 by Mike Repole, BODYARMOR contains natural flavors and sweeteners and no colors from artificial sources. In 2013, Kobe Bryant joined the BODYARMOR team as one of the top shareholders in the company. In 2017, BODYARMOR launched BODYARMOR LYTE, which has all the same nutrients as BODYARMOR Sports Drink but has only 20 calories and 2 grams of sugar per bottle; and BODYARMOR SportWater, a premium sport water created for those with an active lifestyle with a performance pH 9+ and electrolytes for sport. In August 2018, The Coca-Cola Company purchased a minority stake in BODYARMOR, making them the second largest shareholder behind Repole.

About Champion®
Since 1919, Champion Athleticwear has offered a full line of innovative athletic apparel for men and women including activewear, sweats, tees, sports bras, team uniforms and accessories. Champion uses innovative design and state-of-the-art product testing to ensure uncompromised quality and innovative apparel for its consumers. Champion Athleticwear can be purchased at department stores, sporting goods, specialty retailers, and at Champion.com. For more information, please contact us at 1-800-315-0563 or at Facebook.com/Champion, follow us on Twitter @Championusa or on Instagram @Champion. Champion is a brand of Hanesbrands Inc. (NYSE:HBI).

About RESPAWN:
Founded in 2017, RESPAWN is a gaming furniture brand backed by the second largest commercial furniture company (HNI Corporation, $HNI) in North America. Utilizing decades of office furniture experience. RESPAWN Products are forged for all-day comfort for content creators, professional and casual players or anyone looking to upgrade their setup. RESPAWN provides the gaming community with the highest quality of ergonomic gaming furniture at affordable prices. RESPAWN has been battle-tested and achieves a level of comfort that leaves competitors in the dust. Live to play another day with RESPAWN, your battle-ready partner.

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