Korean Sources Report that T1 and Players Want to Stick Together into 2025
A report from Sport Seoul, a South Korean news outlet, and reporter Kim Min-Gyu has reported that according to conversations held with T1 officials during the LoL 2024 World Championship, the T1 players all wish to remain together heading into the next season. The report also indicated that the organization was operating under that same intention and that they were ‘doing everything they can to make it happen.”
Does T1 Run it Back Once Again?
As the climax and conclusion for Worlds 2024 was mounting, one narrative continued building steam, the potential conclusion of the current roster iteration of T1 - affectionately known by the fans as ZOFGK. After sticking together since 2022, many expected that the roster would part ways following their Worlds title victory - as has been the fate for many other Worlds-winning rosters and despite the wishes to the contrary from the fanbase.
The back-to-back champs have captured the hearts and minds of millions. Credit: Adela Sznajder/Riot GamesZOFGK has proven incredibly popular and has reached almost icon status within South Korea. It is safe to assume that they therefore also command salaries that dwarf many other South Korean League of Legends organizations. A report from Korean Site NAVER back in September cited that Faker’s salary was equivalent to the entirety of the Gen.G roster (roughly $6 million USD).
That’s not even counting the other four.
Following the conclusion of Worlds 2023, it was reported that the roster was sticking together, with Choi “Zeus” Woo-je, Lee “Gumayusi” Min-hyeong, and Ryu “Keria” Min-seok all renewing their contracts for another year. Those contracts are now set to expire in 2 weeks (on the 18th of November).
Zeus in particular, was reported to have been courted by a number of LPL organizations following his MVP performance in the finals last year. Whether or not T1 will be successful in retaining this lineup remains to be seen. However, the players wishing to remain with the organization is a massive factor for the success of the endeavor.
“All the Players have the Will to Stay Together”
According to the T1 official Sport Seoul spoke with at the World Championship, all the players have the “will to stay together.” The official made especial note of Gumayusi, who he noted as having a “strong will to continue playing for T1.” “He said that he wants to start and end at T1,” he quoted.
“We’ve made a lot of memories and records with these members. We could work together (next year), but it could change depending on each person’s opinion and team choice. When I started as a professional esports player, my goal was to become the best in the world. However, even if you just look at the LCK, we haven’t won many championships. That’s not enough in my career. I want to win more.” - Gumayusi.
The report also included a statement from T1 COO Ahn Woong-ki: “We will present a vision along with treatment that matches the player’s performance. We will work hard to be with the players next season as well. We will talk well with the players and do our best to meet the fans’ expectations.”
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Featured Image Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
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