Mumbai, July 3, 2026: S8UL, a global name in esports and gaming content, has onboarded YouTube as an Official Partner for its Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 campaign, marking a full-circle moment for the organization. The collaboration will bring the creator community to the forefront through a series of on-ground and digital activations that offer fans unprecedented access to S8UL’s biggest international campaign to date.

A key highlight of the campaign is the return of S8UL’s popular Gaming House Watch Parties at its state-of-the-art facility in Kharghar. First introduced during the organization’s EWC 2025 campaign, the community tradition returns on a significantly larger scale this year, bringing fans together with S8UL’s creators to experience every major match, celebration, and milestone throughout the tournament.

The collaboration will also introduce YouTube Day at the S8UL Gaming House, a nationwide creator initiative open to YouTube creators. Ten selected creators will spend a day at the iconic Gaming House, collaborating with S8UL creators through livestreams, Shorts, vlogs, and exclusive content created for YouTube.

Extending beyond the Gaming House, S8UL will launch the YouTube UGC Station as part of its India Tour across more than 15 cities. The activation will encourage fans to become creators through city-specific content challenges, collaborations, and opportunities to be featured across S8UL’s official YouTube channels.

Complementing these fan-first initiatives is an exclusive long-form EWC Squad Vlog, available exclusively on YouTube. Following more than 50 esports athletes and over 20 creators throughout the tournament, the documentary-style content will capture the complete EWC journey, including arrivals, preparations, Gaming House moments, competition, and celebrations. Fans will also be invited to create and share their own edits and highlights, further extending the community’s participation in S8UL’s journey.

Commenting on the partnership, Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL, said, “Some partnerships are built around visibility. This one is built on shared history. Every milestone in S8UL’s journey has been made possible by the community that has supported us over the years, and YouTube has always been where that relationship came to life. This partnership for our Esports World Cup campaign is about creating an experience that goes beyond competition. Ultimately, we want to celebrate the people who have been part of our journey while creating opportunities for many more to be part of it, whether they’re watching from the Gaming House, creating content in their own cities, or following every moment from Paris.”

The collaboration celebrates the platform that has been integral to S8UL’s evolution. Long before sold-out events, international championships, and global recognition, YouTube was where S8UL’s creators published their first videos, built loyal communities, and established the foundation of one of the world’s leading esports and gaming organizations and continue to push the boundaries of creative storytelling. As S8UL prepares to compete on the world’s biggest esports stage, the partnership reflects the organization’s commitment to taking the community that shaped its journey along with it.

“YouTube is a natural home for gaming fandoms, where communities come together to connect with their favorite creators and players. S8UL has been an integral part of shaping the Indian gaming ecosystem, building a deep and engaged community on YouTube. We are happy to support their Esports World Cup 2026 campaign, representing a great opportunity for fans across India to share in the excitement and stay close to the tournament and the creators they love every step of the way,” said Niharika Pande, Head of Creator Partnerships – India, YouTube.

The announcement marks another significant milestone in S8UL’s EWC 2026 campaign. The organization had previously announced Campa Energy as the Title Sponsor for its EWC campaign, followed by a strategic partnership with AMD to power its competitive and content initiatives throughout the tournament.

Having been selected for the EWC’s Club Partner Program for the second consecutive year, S8UL has already secured qualification in six titles: Apex Legends, Chess, Fortnite, Free Fire MAX, Honor of Kings, and Trackmania. The organization also remains in contention for qualification in EA SPORTS FC, Fatal Fury, Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 8. Alongside fielding elite international talent, S8UL has continued to strengthen Indian representation across its competitive ecosystem.

Scheduled to take place from July 6 to August 23, the EWC 2026 will feature a record-breaking prize pool of USD 75 million (approximately INR 715 crore), bringing together more than 2,000 players representing 200 clubs from over 100 countries.

• Company aims to unlock higher monetization potential from the rapidly growing social and creator economy landscape 

National, 1 July 2026: In a move to further strengthen the digital monetization engine and propel the growth momentum, leading Content and Technology powerhouse, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (‘Z’) has announced the appointment of Sudeep Nagpurkar as Chief Sales Officer – Social Platforms, Creator Economy & Partnerships. In this role, Sudeep will be based out of Noida and will report into Sandeep Mehrotra, Chief Operating Officer – Advertisement Revenue, ‘Z’.

As the Attention Economy continues to reshape consumer behavior, brands are increasingly seeking integrated ecosystems that enable meaningful engagement across content, creators, communities and commerce. Recognizing this shift, ‘Z’ is focused on building a robust digital ecosystem that leverages its content strengths, technology capabilities and strategic partnerships to unlock new monetization opportunities across social platforms, creator networks and emerging digital touchpoints.

Sudeep will leverage his deep industry knowledge and experience to enhance the digital asset monetization capabilities with a strong focus on strategic partnerships. Sudeep will work closely with platforms, creators, brands and advertisers to develop innovative monetization solutions and unlock new revenue opportunities for the Company. He will also play a key role in driving strategic collaborations that further strengthen the Company’s presence across the rapidly expanding creator economy ecosystem.

Speaking about the appointment, Sandeep Mehrotra, Chief Operating Officer – Advertisement Revenue, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. said, “In a rapidly evolving landscape, the convergence of content, technology and commerce is unlocking newer avenues for audience engagement and monetization. Our focus is to build a future-ready revenue ecosystem with robust capabilities to capitalize on the opportunities emerging from the expanding creator economy and social platforms. I am glad to welcome Sudeep, as we accelerate the momentum on our digital journey. His experience in developing strategic partnerships and driving monetization strategies will further strengthen our capabilities across the digital landscape.” 

Sudeep Nagpurkar, Chief Sales Officer – Social Platforms, Creator Economy & Partnerships, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., added, “The creator economy and social platforms are redefining how audiences discover, consume and engage with content. This presents a significant opportunity for brands to connect with consumers through more authentic, contextual and outcome-driven experiences. I am excited to join ‘Z’ at a pivotal phase in its digital growth journey and look forward to collaborating with creators, platforms, advertisers and partners to build innovative monetization models, unlock new revenue streams and create a future-ready ecosystem that delivers long-term value for all stakeholders.”

Sudeep has over 16 years of experience across multiple sectors like Consumer Technology, B2B SaaS, Retail and FMCG. Over the course of his career, Sudeep has worked across regions in India & enabled businesses to export from India to the world. Previously, he was associated with Google India, where he served as the Head of Industry, FMCG, enabling marketing transformation for large consumer conglomerates. He has also been associated with National Instruments (Emerson), building deep foundational expertise in consultative sales and business development.

The appointment of Sudeep is a part of the Company’s strategic efforts to build a diversified and future-ready monetization ecosystem, leveraging the growing influence of social platforms and creator networks to develop long-term strategic partnerships and enhance value creation across the business.

• Company aims to unlock higher monetization potential from the rapidly growing social and creator economy landscape

Mumbai, 1 July 2026: In a move to further strengthen the digital monetization engine and propel the growth momentum, leading Content and Technology powerhouse, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (‘Z’) has announced the appointment of Sudeep Nagpurkar as Chief Sales Officer – Social Platforms, Creator Economy & Partnerships. In this role, Sudeep will be based out of Noida and will report into Sandeep Mehrotra, Chief Operating Officer – Advertisement Revenue, ‘Z’.

As the Attention Economy continues to reshape consumer behavior, brands are increasingly seeking integrated ecosystems that enable meaningful engagement across content, creators, communities and commerce. Recognizing this shift, ‘Z’ is focused on building a robust digital ecosystem that leverages its content strengths, technology capabilities and strategic partnerships to unlock new monetization opportunities across social platforms, creator networks and emerging digital touchpoints.

Sudeep will leverage his deep industry knowledge and experience to enhance the digital asset monetization capabilities with a strong focus on strategic partnerships. Sudeep will work closely with platforms, creators, brands and advertisers to develop innovative monetization solutions and unlock new revenue opportunities for the Company. He will also play a key role in driving strategic collaborations that further strengthen the Company’s presence across the rapidly expanding creator economy ecosystem.

Speaking about the appointment, Sandeep Mehrotra, Chief Operating Officer – Advertisement Revenue, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. said, “In a rapidly evolving landscape, the convergence of content, technology and commerce is unlocking newer avenues for audience engagement and monetization. Our focus is to build a future-ready revenue ecosystem with robust capabilities to capitalize on the opportunities emerging from the expanding creator economy and social platforms. I am glad to welcome Sudeep, as we accelerate the momentum on our digital journey. His experience in developing strategic partnerships and driving monetization strategies will further strengthen our capabilities across the digital landscape.”

Sudeep Nagpurkar, Chief Sales Officer – Social Platforms, Creator Economy & Partnerships, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., added, “The creator economy and social platforms are redefining how audiences discover, consume and engage with content. This presents a significant opportunity for brands to connect with consumers through more authentic, contextual and outcome-driven experiences. I am excited to join ‘Z’ at a pivotal phase in its digital growth journey and look forward to collaborating with creators, platforms, advertisers and partners to build innovative monetization models, unlock new revenue streams and create a future-ready ecosystem that delivers long-term value for all stakeholders.”

Sudeep has over 16 years of experience across multiple sectors like Consumer Technology, B2B SaaS, Retail and FMCG. Over the course of his career, Sudeep has worked across regions in India & enabled businesses to export from India to the world. Previously, he was associated with Google India, where he served as the Head of Industry, FMCG, enabling marketing transformation for large consumer conglomerates. He has also been associated with National Instruments (Emerson), building deep foundational expertise in consultative sales and business development.

The appointment of Sudeep is a part of the Company’s strategic efforts to build a diversified and future-ready monetization ecosystem, leveraging the growing influence of social platforms and creator networks to develop long-term strategic partnerships and enhance value creation across the business.