Serta Named Official Smart Sleep Partner of King Pro League

Serta has officially partnered with the King Pro League (KPL) to celebrate its 10th anniversary, marking the American mattress brand’s entry into the sponsorship lineup of China’s premier Honor of Kings competition.

The league announced this collaboration, emphasizing the importance of player rest and recovery, and spotlighting Serta’s AI DREAM X1 mattress. This innovative mattress features independent adjustments for its left and right sides based on sleeping position and pressure. KPL indicated that more details about the partnership will be revealed gradually.

Financial specifics of the deal remain undisclosed, and neither party has clarified the duration of the agreement or whether it will extend beyond the anniversary year, nor what rights or inventory it includes.

It’s worth noting that this Serta is distinct from the one supplying American hotels. The brand is owned by Serta Simmons Bedding, based in Doraville, Georgia, which is recognized as a leading provider of beds to the hotel sector. In China, the brand operates under a license from AI Dream Group, a company affiliated with Hillhouse Capital that also manages the China operations for King Koil and Ruf Betten, serving as the exclusive sleep solutions provider for China’s national teams. The AI DREAM line of smart mattresses was launched by Serta China in August.

Serta joins a roster of 10 brands that KPL acknowledged during its summer season finale on September 12, including strategic partners like iQOO and Meituan’s group-buying service, as well as industry partner Qualcomm Snapdragon and various special partners.

The intersection of esports and the bedding industry is not entirely new in China. For instance, Marriott’s Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel offers “E-Sporting Gaming” king and twin rooms as part of its standard inventory. Meanwhile, IHG, KPL’s hotel partner, has opted for a loyalty approach, enhancing its KPL partnership with member perks aligned with the summer season.

Sponsorships in the sleep sector are a relatively fresh concept in esports compared to traditional sports. G2 Esports recently launched a performance lab backed by Red Bull to focus on athlete development. KPL has also engaged with non-gaming Chinese consumer brands for sponsorships, including a 2024 deal with appliance manufacturer Hisense Group.

KPL’s annual finals for 2026, marking the conclusion of its tenth year, will kick off on October 2 in Guangzhou and wrap up on November 14 in Chengdu, featuring a prize pool of ¥70 million CNY (approximately $10.4 million USD).