E-sports and gaming company FaZe Clan today announced an exclusive partnership with e-commerce and culture platform Ntwrk.
Ntwrk, known for its limited-edition product drops from LeBron James, Billie Eilish, 88rising and others, led the latest round of funding for FaZe Clan, and has secured the global direct-to-consumer product rights for the company. The collaboration will immediately integrate FaZe Clan’s apparel and merchandise into Ntwrk’s platform.
Beats by Dre and Interscope Records cofounder Jimmy Iovine is a key investor. “FaZe Clan is a very powerful pipeline into gaming culture, and their cultural impact reminds me of the early days of ‘90s hip-hop,” Iovine tells Variety. “It’s a really smart way into e-commerce — through culture, and it feels like a great combination with Ntwrk.
“With Beats and an artist like Eminem, I wanted people to buy something — but this is a company and an idea, not a product” he continues. “No one’s asking for money — all we’re saying is, ‘Watch.’”
Since its inception in 2010, FaZe Clan has accumulated over 215 million fans internationally across all social platforms and original content that racks up over 500 million views per month. Its roster includes NBA star Ben Simmons, NFL star Juju Smith-Schuster and musicians Offset and Lil Yachty.
“Jimmy has always been a cultural seer,” says FaZe Clan CEO Lee Trink. “His belief in FaZe Clan as the next cultural wave, not just in gaming but in entertainment overall, is an incredible representation of the transformative shift happening right now.”
“Working with FaZe Clan has the same fandom and energy that Supreme has in the the skate space,” says Ntwrk CEO Aaron Levant. “These are high-intesity drops that fans line up around the block for.”
“Ntwrk will without a doubt provide additional rocket fuel for FaZe to continue extending our brand and cultural influence worldwide,” said FaZe Clan President Greg Selkoe. “We are excited to be aligned with passionate, like-minded partners that will further contribute to our impact on entertainment and youth culture.”
Ntwrk is a video commerce platform aimed specifically at Gen Z and Millennials via exclusive product drops, live videos, celebrity talent, native purchases and social distribution. It was founded by Levant, Jamie Iovine, and Gaston Dominguez-Letelier in October 2018, and has received investments from Live Nation, LeBron James and Foot Locker.