SK Telecom T1 are 3-time world champions in League of Legends. But Faker and his team have been waiting since 2016 for the next Worlds title in LoL. Now discontent is spreading among the fans. They accuse management of misusing Faker as a marketing figure and hiring the completely wrong people, even an American as coach.
Why is T1 so important? SK Telecom T1 became world champions 3 times in the years 2013, 2015, and 2016.
They were a dynasty: Built around the legendary midlaner Faker, who is considered the best LoL player of all time and the “unkillable demon king.”
From 2013 to 2017, T1 was clearly the team that shaped League of Legends like no other. Especially during those years when LoL was emerging, T1 was constantly at the forefront of the league and became many Western fans’ favorite team.
People simply like to be on the side of the winner, and no one won as beautifully as Faker and T1.
Coach receives death threats for benching Faker
Here were the problems afterward: But since they lost the finals at Worlds against Samsung Galaxy in 2017, things have not gone well for the Korean exceptional team:
- In 2018, T1 could not qualify for Worlds. Without T1, Korea suffered a significant setback at Worlds. Many fans wished for Faker and T1 to return
- In 2019, they were eliminated in the semifinals of Worlds – even against Europeans, a great disgrace. In the interview afterward, they explained themselves as “individually much better”
- In 2020, T1 again could not qualify for Worlds
After 2019, the team that made it to the semifinals of Worlds broke apart. The strong jungler Clid and top laner Khan left, and the legendary coach kkoma also stepped down.
In 2020, there were already disagreements with management: The new coach Kim dared to bench Faker to let a rookie play, who fit the hierarchy better than the star midlaner.
As a result, the then-coach received death threats. After the mixed season, Kim stepped down anyway.
Truck drives through the streets, criticizes management
This is now the protest: At the moment, the mood at T1 is completely down. In South Korea, fans have rented a truck that drives through the district where the SK Telecom headquarters is located.
The truck displays some messages via LED that clearly target management:
- “No future for a team that excludes its fans”
- “Don’t treat your players like cash cows”
- “We, the fans of T1, expect a clear and detailed explanation from management”
There are two main accusations against management. One claims that they are milking the players like “cash cows.” They send Faker too much into advertisements and marketing programs. As the Korean site Inven knows, Faker has appeared in almost 20 commercials or other programs.
StarCraft player and American as coaches provoke protest
The other accusation targets T1’s personnel policy. Officially, fans do not yet know who will coach T1 next year. But what they have heard does not please them at all.
As supporter “Effort” leaked in a stream (via dexerto), T1 allegedly plans to hire 2 people:
- The South Korean Choi “Polt” Seon-Hun (32) is a former StarCraft player – he is to become the head coach
- Nick “LS” De Cesare is an American living in Korea, who was previously a coach at bbq Olivers; he has been accused of making “controversial statements” – he is to get a job as an assistant coach
Fans say that this is a “head coach who has not yet proven himself” and a “controversial coach.”
Fans wish for an LoL coach who has already won something.
These are the reactions: T1 itself has told fans that they hear the concerns of the community. They are currently “rebuilding” in LoL to create structures through which they can become world champions in 2021. They thank the fans for their patience while working on the strategy.
They will soon announce who they officially hire.
A European professional player, on the other hand, speaks frankly. Bwipo from Fnatic addresses the Korean fans: He defends the American LS. Koreans accuse him of being a racist. Nothing could be further from the truth.
LS has a real obsession with Korea. He is enthusiastic about Korea and cannot stop praising Korean LoL. He is also highly competent as an analyst and has given Bwipo many valuable insights into LoL.
Bwipo asks the Korean fans to trust the management: They only want the best for T1 and to get Faker his fourth ring.
Faker’s time might simply be over
What is behind this: The fans of T1 are apparently skeptical that a former StarCraft professional and an American are the best T1 can offer right now.
Moreover, it appears that Faker’s form crisis is attributed to his overwork as a marketing mascot.
The truth could be even more bitter:
- At Worlds 2020, all midlaners who made it to the semifinals were 19 or 20. Faker is 25 years old. Bjergsen has now retired – he is 24 and thus one year younger than Faker. The 23-year-old star midlaners Rookie and Doinb are also talking about how difficult it is “at their age” to keep up with the guys.
- T1 allegedly gave Faker a high-paying contract that may tie up many resources. It could be that they cannot keep “good people around him” because of this: like Clid and Khan
- The successful teams at LoL Worlds had players of world-class level in at least 3, rather all 5 positions. Whether T1 has a potential All-Star on each position is questionable
Perhaps Faker’s time as the “center around which a world champion team is formed” is simply over, and there is not enough money to bring in other major stars. His “support cast,” with which Faker became world champion, is now retired or plays elsewhere.
When one sees that DAMWON Gaming became world champion with 3 stars who are 19, 20, and 21 and can all still improve, the time window for T1 might simply be closed, regardless of who the coach is and how many commercials Faker appears in.
How important Faker is for LoL and even for all of Korea can be seen in a legislative proposal. A politician wanted to change the laws so that Faker can continue playing LoL and does not have to serve in the military. That’s how important Faker is as a figurehead for South Korea:
Politician wants to change laws so Faker can continue playing LoL
