100 Thieves exit aggressive League of Legends amid large LTA viewership decline

100 Thieves bought their franchise spot to Riot on the inception of the LTA rebrand, with them getting a Provisional Visitor Staff slot via the yr of 2025 whereas each the org and Riot determined what to do about that vacant spot.

The time has come, and 100 Thieves have gone via with leaving the LTA after practically 10 years in North American League of Legends. They took a home title and had a few of the finest rosters within the area, however the time has come for them to depart.

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And, whereas that is partly because of 100 Thieves exhibiting ambitions in different esports and wanting to speculate extra closely into different titles, the LTA merger’s large viewership decline can also be a part of the equation.

LTA North’s Break up 2 viewership was down over 30% in comparison with LCS Spring 2024, with LTA averaging at 80k and LCS Spring averaging 120k. Whereas the height viewership was nonetheless there, the common eyes on the League have dramatically dropped off within the transition.

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100 Thieves exits LTA after 8 years of greatness

Although 100 Thieves made it clear that their slot within the LCS was seemingly going to be non permanent, this information nonetheless got here as a shock. They signed on a brand new coach in Dhokla only a week earlier than asserting their exit.

Whereas the enduring org plans to complete out their 2025 yr, come 2026 they’ll get replaced by a yet-unannounced model. Nevertheless, by the sound of 100T’s exit assertion, that model has already been chosen.

“In 2024, we made a strategic enterprise resolution to promote our everlasting franchise slot within the LCS and accepted and invitation from Riot Video games to transition to a Provisional Visitor Staff for the 2025 season. We understood that this association was non permanent whereas Riot Video games would work in the direction of securing a long-term partnership for the league in 2026. Riot Video games has chosen to maneuver ahead with one other companion and thus this marks the conclusion of our historic League of Legends run since 2018,” the assertion reads.

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Nevertheless, an announcement from former 100T alum and present FlyQuest CGO PapaSmithy shed much more gentle on what might have fueled this resolution than the official assertion.

“The truth I felt is that 100t management’s priorities as an org developed previous League of Legends even throughout my tenure there – The seeds of in the present day’s resolution have been sown years in the past from my eyeline, which to me is a large disappointment given how a lot this system has contributed to franchise period LCS & LTA,” he claimed.

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And, whereas 100 Thieves exiting the esport is in no way the tip of North American League of Legends, it doesn’t precisely bode properly. How good that is for the longevity of the esport largely relies on which group finally ends up taking their place.

In keeping with 100T Vice President of Esports Jungle Juice through a Discord Q&A, they didn’t get to struggle for his or her spot again. Riot closed the door on them and advised 100 Thieves that one other org had already taken their place.

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There aren’t many esports orgs who’re on a shopping for spree that aren’t already in League of Legends exterior of maybe Staff Falcons, a crew whose inclusion within the LTA would certainly include its justifiable share of controversy. That mentioned, it wouldn’t precisely be a shock.

Alternatively, it may very well be Sentinels shopping for out the slot off the again of their success in Valorant, or maybe MrBeast lastly shopping for that LoL crew they dreamed of.

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