Cloud9 partners with Mueller Esports Medicine to promote athlete wellness

Cloud9 has announced a partnership with Mueller Esports Medicine to promote wellness within gaming and esports.

Centred around the esports organisation’s Super Smash Bros. icon, Joseph ‘Mang0’ Marquez, the collaboration aims to equip casual and professional players with the tools and knowledge to implement sustainable habits.

According to a release, Mueller Sports Medicine has worked with traditional athletes for 65 years to improve performance and alleviate the physical strains of training and competition. Now, the company’s esports branch will provide Cloud9 with its recovery products, such as the REVIVE pneumatic compression system and the performance compression sleeves.

“Gamers are athletes and the training that Cloud9 players complete on a daily basis imposes a similar wear and tear on their bodies, commented Jonathan Tran, President of Cloud9. “Partnering with Mueller Esports Medicine allows us to support mang0 from a health, wellness, and performance angle–key pillars at Cloud9 for all of our staff and players.”

Founded in 2013, North American esports organisation Cloud9 in League of Legends, VALORANT, Call of Duty and more. The company’s strategic partners include car manufacturer Kia, snack brand PAGODA, gaming chair company Secretlab and eyewear brand Zenni.

Cloud9 is not the only stakeholder in the industry to have recognised the importance of health and wellness in esports. With the ongoing rise and professionalisation of esports as a legitimate form of competition, the industry is increasingly working towards an infrastructure that supports the physical and mental wellbeing of its players.

For instance, tournament organiser BLAST has launched several health-focused initiatives in the past.

In 2023, BLAST launched its ‘Away from Keyboard’ campaign in collaboration with global healthcare company Novo Nordisk. The tournament producer also teamed up with men’s health charity Movember last year.