Foundry IV has signed a deal with recovery brand Hyperice for an initiative called "Move." The goal is to improve the performance and career length of esports professionals "through innovation and education."
Just as other best practices of pro sports such as nutrition and psychology have come to pro gaming, the partnership with Foundry IV's New Sports Federation takes health and wellness to a level not previously seen in the sector.
The partnership promises to study duration of game play to reveal key insights about stress on certain body parts as well as develop methods for muscle relaxation and recovery. Hyperice plans to tutor gamers on how to use its devices -- the company's best known product is a vibrating foam roller called the Vyper. The deal will also ensure that Hyperice devices are on-site at major events and that gamers will have customized kits made for them.
"If we can improve and maintain [gamers'] health, we can improve their performance and career longevity, which will in turn advance the state of gaming as a whole," Foundry IV CEO Tobias Sherman said in a statement.
In the announcement of the partnership, Hyperice CEO Jim Huether said gamers will "now have access to the same tools, technology and methodology as their favorite elite NBA, NFL and MLB athletes. We are confident we can improve the state of the sport and elevate growth and participation."
Foundry IV was founded last November by Sherman and recently announced a campaign to redefine esports as New Sports.