According to Esport journalist Jacob Wolf from DotEsports, Alienware will terminate its global esports partnership more than 10 months early.
Alienware and Riot Games
In discussions with Riot Games, Alienware cited its concern with the game developer’s public image amid harassment claims and other controversies. Riot Games in a statement regarding the Alienware Partnership said to Dot Esports:
“Alienware has been a valuable partner to Riot since January 2019. We can’t comment on our agreement with them at this time due to confidentiality obligations. […] As we continue discussions with them, we have removed their branding from our broadcasts.”
Riot Games statament to Dot Esports
Alienware is one of League of Legends main sponsors, providing a lot of the equipment for its esports scene, and its contract with Riot Games was going to end in January 2022 and most of the people would have been expected to be renewed, however, it has now been terminated ten months early, allegedly due to the case around Riot Games’ CEO, Nicolo Laurent.
The Case
Riot Games and its CEO, Nicolo Laurent, were accused of sexual harassment and gender discrimination in a civil lawsuit by former executive assistant Sharon O’Donnell. On 7th January 2021, Sharon O’Donnell filed a Labor lawsuit against RIOT GAMES INC. This case was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Courts,
Sharon O’Donnell joined Riot Games in 2017 and worked there until her alleged “wrongful termination” in July 2020, according to the complaint. O’Donnell claims that during the course of her employment she was repeatedly yelled at by Laurent and was consistently told to “watch her tone” by the CEO.
Some of O’Donnell’s other allegations include Laurent telling female employees the best method to handle stress during the COVID-19 pandemic was to “have kids.” She also claimed Laurent made sexual advances toward her and asked O’Donnell to travel with him outside of work.
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