How do I join an Professional team? Looooong Post

vladz2k·10/24/2016, 8:38:19 AM·2 votes·6,076 views

So Im currently gold, nothing near the skill lvl of an LCS player (well most of them) But I can see myself improving, I can see that im better mechanically in solo queue than I was months ago.

So I am quite sure that one day I will hit Challenger. But also im planning to have League of Legends as my full time job (Twitch/Youtube/Professional Play) Since I just enjoy playing League alot, yes im capable of having a job since I study very good but I want to have a job that I enjoy, I want a job that Im happy to work at, so League is more than likely the answer.

Anyways back to the topic, once I hit Challenger how do I join a professional team? Where do I apply? Because its kind of my dream to stand where players like Faker stand :)

32 Comments

franticFurball10/24/2016, 9:44:07 AM5 votes

Sorry to put a lid on your dreams, but:

So I am quite sure that one day I will hit Challenger.

http://www.leagueofgraphs.com/rankings/rank-distribution 0.02% of players are in challenger ELO. That's 1 in 5000 players.

Getting to that point requires more than just "improving". You simply have to be able to do it to begin with. Some people naturally have bette rreaction times, hand-eye-coordination, insight into the game, whatever, than others. If you don't have it in you, you won't get there.

But also im planning to have League of Legends as my full time job

You and millions of others. Just like tens of millions of people every year decide that they want to be rich and famous pop musicians, actors or models, or social media superstars.

How many of them make it? And how many of them fail?

Aim for a realistic job. Have a safety net. If you find that you are "the one" you can still pursue your dream. But focusing time and effort on something that is dependent on so many factors outside of your control, is just not clever.

Anyways back to the topic, once I hit Challenger how do I join a professional team? Where do I apply?

You don't. There is no "application form". These teams are not companies hiring people who sent in their CV. Players are noticed and contacted.

And just to put that lid down a bit further..."hitting challenger" is not the prerequisite. Even though its just 0.02%, there are still thousands of challenger players, all competing against each other. Most of these people are years worth of experience ahead of you by the time you get there, if you get there. Do you think you can just "gradually improve" past all of them? If you are perfectly honest with yourself, do you think there is a reason why this will happen?

And among this elite, only the top teams can participate in the challenger series. To enter the next tier you have to WIN in the challenger series. there is no gradual improvement there, its a tournament.

And even winning in the challenger series is not gonna put you on the top teams (aka. the guys who can make a living of it) either. It gets them a ticket into the LCS, where most challenger series winning teams turn out to be a disappointment and vanish as quickly as they appeared.

Also, just to be clear about something: ^^^^ THAT'S a long post. :-D

Surr20plz10/24/2016, 10:14:12 AM3 votes

And this is where he started his meteoric rise to the LCS...

I'm bookmarking this thread and in 6 years I will bust it out and be like "I told yall mofackos he was the greatest of all time!"

Nami in Bush10/24/2016, 8:59:07 AM2 votes

Let me put this in perspective. I'm Diamond 5 right now.

In Diamond, no matter what your MMR is, you gain 15LP and lose 22-30.

You need to win 3-1 to climb in Diamond.

You cannot queue with more than one person.

Diamond 5 is no where near professional, however I aspire towards getting D2 or Masters next season.

You don't "apply", you need to be noticed. Make a ranked team of your own is the other option.

I can make a full ranked team of Diamonds, I have several of them, if you'd like to play normals. If you're half decent and you play something like support, I can add you to a team and give an influential environment.

I have 2 gold teams that have played 5 games and we demolish everybody.

Professional players and people around my rank have 2500+ hours in the game.

UKP LK10/24/2016, 2:41:28 PM1 votes

idk why you are making this post when you are in gold, gold is a really really low elo. I can play a champ that I never played before and still wreck in lane and carry, Im only diamond :|

Make this post when you are at least diamond I, gl but as all pros said dont make LoL your priority cause the chances really small =)

Mysticman8910/25/2016, 5:23:52 AM1 votes

That's not really a long post.

Anyway, get multiple accounts into top 10 challenger (simply making it to challenger probably won't cut it) and you might get noticed by a preexisting team a la wildturtle.

Be a member of a top ranked team (not an lcs team, just your standard ranked 5v5 team [be it your own or otherwise]) and you can start making things happen maybe perhaps.

Keep in mind LCS and full on 5v5 team play is a whole different ball game from solo queue. It's relatively easy to be a solo mechanical god, but completely destroyed by teamplay (and similarly it's possible for people who aren't mechanically that amazing to reach challenger just through their teamplay). Mastering both is a tall order, but you basically need to be able to do that sort of thing if you're looking to go pro.

Of course, if you're only gold now, the esports landscape may have changed somewhat in a few years if/when you actually do reach challenger. And that said, if it does take a few years, you're probably not pro material anyway, since that implies your natural aptitude for the game (reaction times or otherwise) means you're always going to behind the curve compared to the gods who pick up the game and are challenger in under a year. (Yes some of them are playing 10+ hours per day, but if you're not prepared to do that, you're not pro material.)

Randomonium10/25/2016, 10:23:55 AM1 votes

Even if you make it to challenger there's no guarantee that you'll make it onto a professional team. Arcsecond was the #1 ranked challenger player on the NA ladder and he was a substitute on team liquid (not even a starter.) Cris was also the #1 ranked challenger player on the NA ladder for a time and he was substitute on Apex. I know this sounds bad but being successful in professional e-sports isn't just about being good, there's a ton of luck and timing involved. Furthermore, you have to be able to sell yourself and be someone that teams want to take a risk on. If you're difficult to work with then it doesn't matter how talented you are, no one is going to want to touch you.

SlashStriker10/25/2016, 11:10:47 AM1 votes

You can start streaming whenever you want so that ain't problem

Hit challenger or at least Master. The higher you go the easier is for you to be noticed

Making Videos on sites like Youtube and steaming will also help so Pros can see your mechanical knowledge on champions as well as decision making

You may also try to make a team yourself so you may compete with your own team instead

Mums7/10/2019, 9:42:49 PM1 votes

Update on the dream: Vlad dropped to Silver in Season 7 and quit. Vladimir

FioraWillCarry10/24/2016, 10:03:20 AM1 votes

Pro gaming is not a stable career or even a sensible goal. Knew how many delusional kids there were on Teamliquid.net that wanted to the next Jaedong, who was at one point the best StarCraft Brood War Zerg player in the world.

You should look up Idra and read his story. He's the closest thing to an average normal guy that had a shot at making it in StarCraft Brood War. He was ridiculously good at StarCraft. One of the best Terrans and he eventually ended up going to Korea to train hoping to become one of the 1st non Korean top pros. Long story short, he failed miserably. He was the League equivalent of a Challenger player and when he was place in an environment among the best of the best. He couldn't cut it. The difference in skill between him and real pros was too significant. If you're serious about this, I recommend you read his story.

Corporal B10/24/2016, 11:08:19 AM1 votes

Practice, good habits, and patience. You can do it!

/edit: The downvotes for aspiring young gamer... Heaven forbid as community we break down someone's dream before it even starts. Get real people, a player wanting to improve and be something good in this game getting thrown under the bus isn't cool.