Fennel, Dunlop renew deal for VALORANT recovery gear

Fennel Co., Ltd. has renewed its sponsorship with Dunlop, extending a partnership that began in 2025 to develop recovery wear and physical-care products for Fennel’s VALORANT and VALORANT GC (Women’s) teams. The companies said the second-year agreement will expand joint product development and increase support for player conditioning.

Fennel is based in Shibuya, Tokyo. Dunlop is a global rubber products brand owned by Sumitomo Rubber Industries in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. The partners plan to announce new products developed through the collaboration later this year.

Over the past year, Fennel players provided feedback that was used in product design. Company representatives noted that on-field testing and player input helped shape materials and features aimed at aiding recovery and managing physical strain for players who practice and compete for long hours.

Ryo Takashima, president and CEO of Fennel, commented that player performance depends on tactics, skill and physical condition, and that working with Dunlop brings the brand’s athlete-support technology to the team and to Japan’s esports scene. Keiji Moriyama, an executive officer at Dunlop, stated that the company welcomes the renewal and will support efforts to create environments where players can perform at their best as the esports market grows globally.

Fennel has continued to build commercial ties in recent months. The organization announced a sponsorship with gaming peripheral maker HyperX about a month ago, and earlier this year secured renewed support from QT DIG∞ for its League of Legends activities after that company suspended its own League division.

The agreement is an example of a sports brand expanding into esports through product development and player services rather than only providing logo sponsorships. Fennel’s roster-level input gives manufacturers access to elite user testing while offering the team equipment intended to address the physical demands of competitive gaming.

You might also like: Riot Vanguard update bricks DMA storage devices via IOMMU