Buzz
T1 fans can breathe easy as there's ample evidence suggesting the current lineup is here to stay.
Recent days have been buzzing with professional League of Legends transfer news. This includes announcements from teams themselves as well as rumors swirling in the community. Some of these rumors have been confirmed as true, while others remain topics of discussion.
Particularly, the reigning 2023 Worlds champions - T1 - have been under intense scrutiny. Many have speculated about the team's future in the absence of certain players, but the reality is, T1's disbandment is highly unlikely.
Present and Future Lineup
T1 boasts the most talented young players in the LCK and the global League of Legends scene. In an era where talent is scarce, hastily dismantling a successful Worlds roster isn't wise. While Faker remains pivotal, he also needs skilled teammates to share the burden.
Furthermore, rehiring Coach KkOma underscores T1's continued hunger for success. Hence, parting ways with the current stars would hardly guarantee victories for them. Especially with forming a new team becoming even more challenging as other teams also start to rebuild. T1 won't have many options as other top teams will seek to retain their talent or splash cash to recruit stars. Not to mention, not everyone may fit and succeed with T1, including established names in the professional League of Legends scene.
Unity and Faker
Undeniably, when players move to other teams, there will still be shot callers and players with roles similar to Faker's at T1. But there's one consideration for players: Faker is unique. Continuing to battle alongside Faker for new glories might be more feasible than moving to another top team and hoping to play alongside quality shot callers.
Additionally, the current stars have been playing together for a long time. If transfers happen, it immediately brings the future into question. And sometimes, effort or skills may not be enough to secure victories. A prime example is Gen.G in Spring 2022. They had Peanut as a shot caller and all 5 members were highly skilled. But it wasn't until the LCK Summer 2022 finals that Gen.G truly showcased effective investment, at least domestically.
LCK Salary Cap Rules
In reality, the initial salary cap regulations of LCK may seem like a hurdle for teams to sign superstars, but they actually benefit T1. If a player has been with a team for 3 years, they'll receive a 30% reduction when calculating the salary cap. If they have 5 or more LCK championships or 3 international titles, the reduction will be 50%.
Thus, if we consider the contracts completed before the official regulations (possibly in 2024), most T1 players have been with T1 for a considerable time (all for 3 years or more). Additionally, they have also secured a 2023 Worlds championship. Competing for more titles in the future is entirely feasible with this lineup, and then, the salary cap will no longer be an issue.
But if the current T1 disbands, the factor of 'loyalty' will cease to exist. Moreover, no one can guarantee that players will continue to achieve titles with other teams. Therefore, perhaps the players themselves will have to carefully consider their futures.
Conclusion
Certainly, the choice remains with the T1 players. But surely, whether they stay or go, fans will have plenty to discuss, and teams themselves must prepare meticulously for the new 2024 season.
