In League of Legends , the Berlin eSports organization “Penta 1860” was expelled from the German Prime League on September 2. The team was supposed to play the relegation matches to retain its spot in the 1st league. However, the team has now been disqualified due to financial difficulties and will not even secure a place in the 2nd league. Their partner, the football club 1860 Munich, expresses being “surprised”.
This is how the situation looked for the team:
- The team Penta entered into a partnership with the football club “TSV 1860 München” on January 21, 2019, and has been known as “Penta 1860” since.
- In 2022, they played in the 1st German league of LoL, the Prime League Division 1, with 3 German players on the team.
- However, it did not go well at all. With a record of 2-16, they finished last in the league and would have to compete against 3 other teams in relegation to avoid relegation to the 2nd league. Among the opponents is the currently popular team NNO.
The team NNO consists of 5 German streamers who have just spectacularly won the 2nd league in LoL:
Players and Staff Not Paid
This was the decision: The Prime League announced on September 2 that the team is disqualified from the league with immediate effect. The reason for this is the “repeated failure to meet financial obligations”:
- The team is out of relegation.
- The team will not move up to the 2nd league – the eSports organization “TeamOrangeGaming” from Ulm will take their place.
The flagship of the Prime League in 2022 is the team “Eintracht Spandau” by YouTuber HandOfBlood:
Problems Due to Pandemic: Growth Opportunity of an eSports Club Severely Limited
This is what the team says: In a statement, Penta 1860 admits that players and staff were not paid:
The reasons are financial issues within Penta that we could not resolve quickly enough.
The blame rests entirely with us – but it is also important to address the reasons.
Andreas Schetzke, Managing Director and Owner of Penta
It is said there were issues that arose from the pandemic, and growth opportunities for an eSports club remain severely limited.
“Black Hole” Consumed Six-Figure Sums
According to the owners, they had to inject over 100,000 € into the club in 6 months to cover ongoing expenses. This “black hole” could not always be managed in a timely manner.
They intend to meet their financial obligations.
What does this mean for relegation? Four teams are involved in relegation: the 2 best from the 2nd league and the 2 worst from the 1st league.
Because Penta 1860 is now out of relegation, it means that only 3 teams are now competing for 2 spots in the 1st league. However, no team is currently “safe” for promotion.
Munich Says: Economic Responsibility Lies in Berlin
What do the Munich Lions say? The partners of the team state in a statement that although they are partners, the economic responsibility lay in Berlin. They express being “surprised” by the development. It is not yet clear whether they will continue the collaboration.
eSports teams worldwide are repeatedly facing financial difficulties. In July 2022, we reported on MeinMMO about a case where the precarious situation of eSports teams had particularly drastic effects on the health of a player:
Pro player from CS:GO dies at 19 – team now has to pay 72,000 € to his family
