To celebrate its tenth anniversary, the King Pro League has named Serta as its official smart sleep partner, adding the American mattress manufacturer to the sponsorship lineup of China’s premier Honor of Kings tournament. The collaboration, which emphasizes player physical recovery and rest, was announced by the KPL on Monday via its official social media channel.
Agreement Specifics
The KPL has designated Serta’s AI DREAM X1 mattress as the signature product of this alliance, pointing out its capability to dynamically modify its left and right sides independently based on pressure points and sleep postures. According to the league, additional aspects of this collaboration will be rolled out gradually, although specific details regarding these rollouts were not provided.
Details regarding the financial aspects of the deal remain undisclosed, and both organizations declined to share the contract’s duration, whether it will continue beyond the anniversary season, or the specific marketing assets and activation rights involved. Importantly, this agreement involves Serta’s Chinese division, managed under a licensing system by AI Dream Group. This Hillhouse Capital-backed firm also oversees the Chinese presence of King Koil and Ruf Betten, acts as the sole provider of sleep solutions for China’s national athletic squads, and operates independently from the Serta branch that serves hospitality businesses in the United States.
Core Points
- During its summer season grand finale on September 12, the KPL expressed gratitude to 10 sponsoring brands, including its core strategic allies iQOO, Meituan, SuperX, Dongpeng Special Drink, and Wallace; its industrial collaborator Qualcomm Snapdragon; special associates TT Voice, Huaxia Bank, IHG, and Tongcheng Travel; and its official jewelry partner Lukfook
- Serta is recognized in a separate category as the tournament’s new official provider of smart sleep technology
- The KPL’s 2026 annual final tournament is scheduled to begin on October 2 in Guangzhou and wrap up on November 14 in Chengdu
- The championship event features a total prize purse of ¥70 million CNY (approximately $10.4 million USD)
An Expanding Sponsorship Sector
Compared to traditional athletic disciplines, rest and recovery is a relatively recent sponsorship category within competitive gaming. For instance, G2 Esports established a performance facility supported by Red Bull in June to optimize professional player training, as previously detailed by The Esports Advocate. Meanwhile, the KPL has historically secured commercial tie-ups with Chinese non-endemic brands, such as its 2024 partnership with home appliance giant Hisense Group. This marketing trend runs parallel to the global expansion efforts of the Honor of Kings franchise.
The Chinese hospitality industry has previously integrated gaming and accommodations. The Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel by Marriott offers specialized “E-Sporting Gaming” double and twin bed options as part of its regular room selection. Concurrently, IHG, the KPL’s designated accommodation partner, has leveraged its One Rewards loyalty initiative to strengthen its relationship with the league by offering exclusive member benefits during the summer tournament run.
Future Outlook
The KPL indicated that subsequent phases of the Serta agreement will be unveiled sequentially, though no specific schedule was shared. The league’s 2026 annual finals, representing the grand culmination of its decennial celebrations, will kick off on October 2 in Guangzhou and draw to a close on November 14 in Chengdu, boasting an impressive prize pool of ¥70 million CNY ($10.4 million USD).
