Fan Engagement Platform to Power the Club’s Online Gaming Community

NEW YORK (Monday, Aug. 1, 2022) – Major League Soccer’s FC Cincinnati announced today the launch of its online gaming community, powered by its partnership with fan engagement platform Rival.

FC Cincinnati’s partnership with Rival will expand and grow the club’s presence into the esports community through initiatives and platforms, which includes the first FC Cincinnati Esports Night presented by Klosterman for the Sat., Aug. 13 match against Atlanta United FC. Additionally, the club’s first ever Fan FIFA Tournament will take place leading up to the match on Tues., Aug. 9.

“We are very excited to partner with Rival and grow our esports presence,” said Bobby Straka, FC Cincinnati Senior Director of Marketing. “We look forward to hosting tournaments and events and offering new ways to connect with our fans.”

The Esports Night presented by Klosterman on Aug. 13 will celebrate the local gaming community and feature a meet and greet with the club’s eMLS player Macissé ‘Cissé’ Diop. Prior to the match at Washington Park, activations will include a gaming truck, music and food beginning at 4:30 p.m. The Cincinnati Fear, the Queen City’s professional esports team, will have a presence on the concourse throughout the match.

The first ever FCC Fan FIFA Tournament will take place on Aug. 9 beginning at 7 p.m. The winner of the tournament will receive four tickets to the Atlanta United game, an FC Cincinnati jersey, and an opportunity to play FCC’s Cissé at Washington Park in the pregame festivities. The tournament is on the PlayStation platform and free to enter, and fans can sign up here.

“We are thrilled to expand our portfolio in soccer with the launch of FC Cincinnati’s gaming community,” said Rival Chief Marketing Officer Dan Parise. “With its clear and innovative approach connecting virtual and live sports and cultural experiences, we see endless applications and possibilities to collaborate and grow the club’s connection with fans through esports.”

Rival powers the gaming communities for more than 40 partners worldwide, across sports properties, media, tech and brands, including nine European football clubs and three MLS clubs.

About FC Cincinnati

FC Cincinnati are playing their fourth season of MLS competition in 2022, and their second playing at TQL Stadium. For up-to-the-minute information about FC Cincinnati, visit the team’s official website at fccincinnati.com, or follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FCCincinnati. Additionally, fans are encouraged to download the team’s official mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play for instant access to mobile tickets, team content and match notifications.