In a bid to show its North American pride for all to see, Riot Games and Mercedes-Benz will be handing out championship rings to go with the Summoner's Cup.
Riot Games tends to do something different with each passing year at the World Championship and this year, it's thematic as well. With Worlds 2021 being held in Reykjavík, Iceland, it only made sense to present some ice to the winners in the form of championship rings, all thanks to Mercedes-Benz.
For Worlds 2021, the luxury automotive company is partnering up with Riot to present the winning players with championship rings that will bear their summoner's name as well as their organisation's name. The ring will also share the same colour palette as the Summoner's Cup, which will pair together perfectly.
The ring itself is crafted by GOOD ART HLYWD and is made of 18-karat white gold with a custom-cut sapphire jewel at the centre. You can also expect the Mercedes to include their drip into the mix via their signature star logo, which you can find on the sides of the ring. To top it all off, nestled at the very heart of the ring, is a diamond within the Worlds logo.
“Championship rings are a storied tradition in sports, synonymous with the highest achievements and unmatched excellence. Since the start of our partnership in 2020, Mercedes-Benz has helped elevate and celebrate the best-of-the-best in LoL Esports, and we are thrilled to bring together our shared love for design and innovation to make a resounding mark on the crowning achievement of our sport,”
says Naz Aletaha, Riot Games Global Head of League of Legends Esports.
While the ring itself harkens back to the prestigious championship tradition that many North American fans are familiar with, the same can't be said for the rest of the world. Traditional sporting events like the NBA, NFL, and MLB to name a few all feature customised championship rings for the winning teams. Fans of North American sports will understand the significance of it whilst many others probably would not.
It speaks a great deal of irony that with Riot Games being an American company, it would want to bring a sense of tradition into the mix. But the last team to ever bring the cup back home was never, and that itself says a lot. Besides, Worlds throughout the years have always been dominated by the Eastern part of the world, mainly South Korea and a little bit of China.
Just to clarify, I'm not hating on the idea of it; I just find it funny.
At the end of it all, it's an amazing gesture from both Riot and Mercedes to present customised championship rings to go with the cup. It sure beats getting a medal that looks like every other medal awarded to teammates.
(Image credit: Daimler)
