You know with 20 years in the books, you can’t just do small celebrations if you’re video game developer giant Blizzard Entertainment. So how about teaming up with the University of Washington for the first-ever partnership and NIL deal with the Huskies football crew? Say less.

It’s all in the details and needless to say - Huskies fans have ample reasons to geek out over this massive collaboration.

The Huskies have entered into the World of Warcraft! Today, the University of Washington announced a first-ever partnership and NIL deal with video game developer Blizzard Entertainment as part of the 20th-anniversary celebration for World of Warcraft.  

The transformation from UW to the “University of Warcraft” will be unveiled and celebrated throughout the week, culminating in Friday’s home football matchup vs the UCLA Bruins, where the game will feature a “World of Warcraft” motif with fans, players, and other surprise elements that pays homage to the popular video game including:

• A custom “University of Warcraft” logo and digital takeover featuring unique World of Warcraft assets leading up to the game

• Name, Image and Likeness (NIL)deals with University of Washington football players Carson Bruener, Denzel Boston, Jonah Coleman, Camden Simon, Adam Mohammad, Kamren Fabiculanan, Jacob Lane, Cameron Broussard, D’Angalo Titialli, Demond Williams, Jr and Will Rodgers to create custom “University of Warcraft” content and promote the rebranding

• A World of Warcraft-themed fan zone featuring different characters from the video game

• World of Warcraft Mascots leading the team out onto the field

• Key elements of the game featured throughout the matchup vs. UCLA including:

• Special shirts for the student section

• World of Warcraft visuals and thematics being integrated into the entire in-game video board production

• In-game World of Warcraft versions of Will Rogers, Carson Bruener, Kamren Fabiculanan, Denzel Boston and Jonah Coleman making an appearance throughout the in-stadium broadcast and on social media.

"We’re excited to partner with Blizzard Entertainment in a groundbreaking collaboration that brings together the worlds of sports and gaming, highlighting our shared commitment to innovation and creativity,” said Kurt Svoboda, Deputy Athletic Director for External Relations at the University of Washington. “Our football players have had the unique chance to contribute to Blizzard’s 20th anniversary celebration, gaining valuable insights into the creative production process behind an iconic brand. We look forward to Friday’s World of Warcraft takeover at Husky Stadium, where two powerhouse brands will come together for an unforgettable experience.”

Huskies Sports Properties, the locally based team of Learfield – the media and technology company powering college sports – is the exclusive multimedia rights holder for Washington Athletics and oversees all sponsorship agreements on behalf of the Huskies.

For more information on Blizzard Entertainment, please visit www.blizzard.com. 

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.