Der findes sponsorater, og så findes der smølferater. Det sidstnævnte har den Nordamerikanske e-sportsorganisation Cloud9 indgået med ingen ringene end de ikoniske Smølfer.
Sponsoraftalen handler mest af alt om merchandise bestående af alt fra T-shirts, hoodies, hatte, musemåtter og klistermærker.
"With its matching colours and sense of fun, Cloud9 and The Smurfs partnered in hopes to strike feelings of joy and nostalgia with fans as the collaboration pays homage to childhood classic, The Smurfs, and C9's history of smurfing in their competitions," fortæller Cloud9 på Twitter, inden de kaster sig ud i en længere historieforelæsning:
"The term, "smurfing", was created by two World of Warcraft players using alternate accounts under the names of Papa Smurf and Smurfette to describe when high-level players create new accounts to play against and beat lower-ranked players. Over time, the practice of Smurfing and the term has evolved, used to celebrate the most exciting and winningest moments in gaming and esports. This is our nod to the history of smurfing!"
Du kan se alle de mange smølfeprodukterne her.