Telluride Bush Gaming (tBushGaming), a Call of Duty Challengers team, has announced a new partnership with Kraken, a cryptocurrency platform valued at approximately $13.3 billion in 2026.
Under the agreement, Kraken will sponsor tBushGaming for the full 2026 Challengers season. The partnership includes strong promotion from the team.
In a recent interview, tBushGaming Co-owner Jersey Jerry revealed that the deal came through the team’s connection with Barstool Sports, an American digital media company that powers tBushGaming. Kraken has previously worked with Barstool, which helped open the door for this partnership.
However, Jerry did not reveal key details about the agreement, including the exact financial value of the deal or how much Kraken is investing in the team. He also did not specify the full duration of the partnership beyond confirming that Kraken will serve as the presenting sponsor for the 2026 Challengers season.
Despite the lack of disclosed figures, Jerry mentioned that the partnership is already making a meaningful impact, particularly in covering major operational costs such as travel and tournament participation. He also suggested that this deal is only the beginning, with the team now in a stronger position to secure additional sponsors, especially from gaming and hardware brands, which could further improve their financial stability going forward.
Before this deal, tBushGaming had been facing significant financial challenges. In 2025, Jersey Jerry had even asked Barstool Founder Dave Portnoy for $10 million to build the team, but the request was unsuccessful. The latest Kraken deal is an important moment not just for tBushGaming but for the whole Call of Duty Challengers grassroots scene.
Financial challenges have been a reality for many organisations beyond top tier competitions and income from sponsors are still a pillar for esports revenue. Even Tier 1 teams like WYLDE had to drop their Rainbow Six Siege roster because they couldn’t keep up with the costs. And then you’ve got a Tier 2 Counter-Strike team owner talking about the massive expenses and how sponsorships are basically the only thing keeping the organisation afloat.
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