Dignitas' League of Legends Mid Laner Damonte and Professional baseball player Hunter Pence will team up on Verizon’s Pay It Forward Live in support of small businesses

WHAT:

Verizon’s <a href="https://www.verizon.com/pay-it-forward-live/?CMP=OLA_SMB_OTH_22222_NA_20200325_NA_NM20200057_00001" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.verizon.com/pay-it-forward-live/?CMP=OLA_SMB_OTH_22222_NA_20200325_NA_NM20200057_00001&source=gmail&ust=1586882733108000&usg=AFQjCNF9yodcRhECsNODbG07bQpUYxpDKQ">Pay It Forward Live, the weekly streaming entertainment series in support of small businesses affected by COVID-19, continues on Tuesday, April 14 when professional baseball player Hunter Pence and esports organization Dignitas’ Tanner Damonte team up to play League of Legends at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on Twitter @Verizon, Damonte’s Twitch, Yahoo, Verizon’s Facebook page, and Fios Channel 501. The event will be available on Verizon’s platforms for one week following the live stream.

Join @HunterPence and me tomorrow for @Verizon's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PayItForwardLIVE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc^tfw">#PayItForwardLIVE at https://t.co/w2BnQmFxz7! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ad?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc^tfw">#ad pic.twitter.com/UgSR9an81k

— Damonte (@Damonte) April 13, 2020

The duo will not only play, but also surprise some of their favorite local businesses, engage with viewers, and create small-business-themed in-game experiences - all while encouraging viewers to do what they can to support local businesses in their own communities by shopping online, making a purchase in advance of businesses reopening or ordering a meal. Verizon will also donate $10, up to $2.5 million, to support small businesses when the hashtag #PayItForwardLIVE is used.

“I am thankful and honored for the opportunity to partner with Verizon for their Pay It Forward initiative,” says Hunter Pence. “This is a great movement to help support small businesses in a time of need. Working together means a lot to me and it’s important to come together to make a positive impact on our community and relationships during this crisis.”

“After growing up in the Bay Area all my life, I am so excited to play League of Legends with the Bay Area's very own Hunter Pence,” says Dignitas’s Damonte. “I look forward to teaching him how I train and compete as a professional esports athlete and I'm proud to use this as an opportunity to pay it forward in support of small businesses."

WHO:

Hunter Pence is a two-time World Series Champion and four-time All-Star outfielder on the San Francisco Giants. Hunter is known on the field for his positivity and exemplary leadership, as well as his unconventional mechanics and full-throttle energy. Off the field, he's recognized for his love of gaming and quality coffee. He combined his passions to start his own small business, Coral Sword, a gaming cafe that he and his wife opened in his hometown of Houston, TX.

Tanner "Damonte" Damonte is a professional League of Legends player for Dignitas. Damonte is one of the game's most successful North American players in his role as Mid Laner. In 2019, Damonte became part of Dignitas when the esports organization partnered with Clutch Gaming in Dignitas' highly anticipated return to the LCS, the most watched esports league in the world and third most watched sports league for millennials in North America. Damonte's charismatic personality and popular "Tanner Time" catch phrase earned him global fame. In 2019, Damonte led his team Clutch Gaming to the League of Legends World Championships, an elite event with millions of viewers featuring the World's sixteen best teams.

WHEN:

Tuesday, April 14
8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT

WHERE TO WATCH:

Twitter @Verizon, Damonte’s Twitch, Yahoo, Verizon’s Facebook page, and Fios Channel 501. The event will be available on Verizon’s platforms for one week following the live stream.

MORE INFO:

Pay It Forward Live <a href="https://www.verizon.com/about/news/biggest-names-helping" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.verizon.com/about/news/biggest-names-helping&source=gmail&ust=1586882733108000&usg=AFQjCNEXV1HwXTGGsMFenKB91RzuFUqUnw">launched on March 26 with an intimate, at-home performance with Dave Matthews. Previous performers and partners also include FaZe Clan’s Nate Hill and Cizzorz, Marshmello, Pokimane, Alicia Keys and Ryan Tedder. Additional partners will be announced soon.

More information can be found at Verizon.com/PayItForwardLive.