TSM, one of the oldest esports orgs in North America, has officially left the League of Legends scene. The organization confirmed today (September 20) that they had sold their place in the LCS to Shopify Rebellion. It is believed that TSM is looking to join another Tier 1 league such as China or South Korea. However, the departure of TSM ends a 12-year tenure in the North American scene.
“The acquisition of our LCS slot is a milestone moment for TSM and the entire esports community, especially by a team that shares our passion for excellence and growth. With the relentless pursuit of victory that has defined TSM, and the innovative spirit of Shopify Rebellion, we believe this move will ignite fresh success and further elevate the competitive landscape of esports. And thank you to Riot for their exceptional partnership in this process," TSM CEO Andy Dinh said in a statement.
Shopify Rebellion Join The LCS
Shopify Rebellion, which is owned by the e-commerce platform, already has several esports ventures. Since 2021, they have fielded teams in VALORANT, StarCraft, Dota 2, Halo, Street Fighter 6, and Rocket League. “Entering League of Legends – one of the largest esports titles, with a rich competitive history – felt like an obvious next step for us as we continue to grow our presence in esports. We’re excited to work with the former TSM roster and for them to compete in the LCS under the Shopify Rebellion banner," said Shopify's esports program development lead Dario Wünsch.
However, will that be the only change this offseason? According to League of Legends content creator Daniel "dGon" Gonzales, the North American LCS could see a bona fide exodus this offseason. Speaking on the Facecheck podcast, Gonzales claimed that an unnamed LCS team had already sold their franchise slot in the league and would be leaving before the start of the next split. However, at the time of writing, no further details about this mystery team have been revealed. North American free agency will begin in late November, after Worlds 2023 has concluded.
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