TSM Reaffirms Return to Counter Strike
TSM's CEO, Andy "Reginald" Dinh, has confirmed on Twitter that the organization will return to Counter-Strike in 2023, marking a significant investment. TSM previously fielded CS:GO teams from 2015 to 2017 and plans to build a roster based in Europe. They have already begun discussions with ESL and BLAST regarding long-term partnerships. This announcement follows a recent report that TSM will be pausing most of its esports efforts in several titles and may be putting its League of Legends Championship Series franchise on the block.
Currently TSM:
TSM faced a setback in 2022 when the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, their then-sponsor, collapsed after signing a $210 million naming rights deal the year before. However, TSM immediately downplayed the impact of the failure, stating that they are "stable and profitable" and that they "look forward to a great year in 2023." Despite the financial restructuring, TSM plans to return to CS:GO and continue to evaluate the best esports ecosystems to invest in.
TSM in Counter Strike:
TSM's last foray into Counter-Strike was over six years ago, with a North American lineup featuring notable players such as Russel "Twistzz" Van Dulken, Pujan "FNS" Mehta, and Sean "seang@res" Gares. Before that, TSM sported an all-Danish lineup with players such as Finn "karrigan" Andersen, Nicolai "device" Reedtz, and Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen, who led the roster to a peak of No. 1 on the world ranking and helped the squad win five LAN trophies throughout 2015.
Both rosters left the organization in controversial circumstances. The Danes reportedly cut ties with TSM after the "relationship between TSM and the players had broken down, especially following the dismissal of team manager Frederik Byskov." The North American lineup ended after seang@res was publicly dropped from the organization just one week after signing an open letter to owners of PEA teams in protest of the inability to simultaneously compete in the North American franchise project and ESL Pro League.
The Danes, along with Frederik Byskov and Jakob Lund Kristensen, launched their own organization, Astralis, which became one of the most successful in Counter-Strike history, winning four Majors and 15 more LAN trophies and sitting atop the world ranking for a total of 118 weeks. TSM's return to CS:GO will mark a new chapter in their esports history and their investment in Europe suggests a strategic move to expand their global presence.
Conclusion:
TSM's confirmation of their return to Counter-Strike in 2023 is a significant investment and shows their commitment to evaluating the best esports ecosystems to invest in. Despite setbacks such as the collapse of their sponsor FTX and financial restructuring, TSM is looking to build a roster based in Europe and establish long-term partnerships with ESL and BLAST. Their return to CS:GO marks a new chapter in their esports history and highlights the importance of strategic expansion in the global esports market.
Image Source: DreamHack