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Riot might be feeling uncomfortable. . .

ChompyWulf·5/3/2019, 6:21:47 AM·2 votes·1,623 views
Immortals raise $30 million, enter bidding for OpTic Gaming

When Riot agreed to franchise NA LCS, some existing teams were expected to be left out. After being in for two years, making a splash by paying players well, injecting social media content of their team, and competing at a high level and even appearing at World's, it was a huge shock when news leaked that Immortals was cut out of franchising.

Excuses and speculation were rampant. Immortals had been losing money and was too risky. It was payback for them sinking a 20 million dollar commitment into the Overwatch League. A venture capitalist backed team was too risky. Certain top figures wanted a threatening new team gone. No clear reason was ever given.

Since being cut, Immortals has gone on to secure deep pocket sponsorships like Mountain Dew, and (at least in NA) was the first Esports team to score a sneaker deal. New backers have now bought shares in the organization and they are even poised to potentially buy out the parent organization that would give them control of Optic Gaming.

Edit So removing some of the bitterness I let out, I'll close instead with more positive thoughts. I would love to see Immortals return to the LCS stage and hopefully repeat the success they had. I always believed they belonged and shouldn't have been cut. It is unfortunate Optic is having some hard times and I don't want their fans thinking I'm happy because of their struggles.

13 Comments

GeminiRune5/3/2019, 2:13:01 PM3 votes

I can say to that is good for them and props to holding your Immortals icon for everything throughout. But seriously, give it a rest. It's always "Riot made a mistake" with you when it comes to this org and any other case it's just backed by this same mess. You even say a valuable reason but you end it like they had to kill something to do it.

If I was just as much the fan as you act like, I would just be glad that they're biding for another spot. That they went from somewhat of an unreliable funding base which is still understandable to hella quite stable off their Los Angeles Valiant run in OWL Season 1; cannot say the same for Season 2 though. But no, it's still Rito made mistake. Imomo prove wrong.

I rather not be hearing about this fantasy world of a lone Immortals warrior still on his two years and counting picket strike outside the LCS Studio. We can't turn back time, magically revive anything that was, and so on. I worry more about what made OpTic specifically fall out of not just League but other potential titles as well. Fox's fallout I understand and Clutch looks like a merge more than a fallout. And at what point does this become a matter of fan support rather than the org and/or Riot's instabilities?

III BAKURYU III 5/3/2019, 6:30:40 PM3 votes

Immortals died for our sins

Also, since you're the (Immortal superfan) what roster would you peace together(barring you can't have the obvious superteam + you can't have any players from TL, TSM and C9).

III BAKURYU III 5/3/2019, 6:58:32 PM2 votes

I was never a firm believer in Olleh when the meta at the time when he was on Immortals wasn't mage like supports but now, now it's slightly turning into a free-4-all mage league so I can see him making a comeback. I personally would choose Haukuho over Olleh on any lineup. Xmithie....... yeah obvious choice right there.

Immortals won't be back till 2019, right?