After the rumors from the past few months, TSM officially confirmed its departure from the LCS as a new organization joins the NA league.

Image Credits | @ShopifyRebels

Shopify Rebellion will join the LCS and take over the TSM slot

It was announced today that rising esports organization Shopify Rebellion will be joining the LCS as the newest franchised partner of the league, taking over TSM’s slot. According to New York Times reporter Kellen Browning, the slot was sold for about $10 million.

“Entering League of Legends – one of the largest esports titles, with a rich competitive history – felt like an obvious next step for us as we continue to grow our presence in esports,” said Dario ’TLO’ Wünsch, esports program development lead at Shopify. “We’re excited to work with the former TSM roster and for them to compete in the LCS under the Shopify Rebellion banner.” 

“We are excited to welcome Shopify Rebellion to the LCS and the greater Riot esports ecosystem, with their teams now represented in both LoL esports and VALORANT,” said Carlos Antunes, Head of LoL esports, Americas at Riot Games. “We also want to take a moment to recognize TSM and the many contributions they have made to the LCS and to esports as a whole. Their legacy will continue to be felt within our community for many years to come.” 

This ultimately confirmed TSM’s exit from the NA competitive scene, becoming the second organization to leave the LCS this year, following CLG (which was however acquired by NRG Esports).

“The acquisition of our LCS slot is a milestone moment for TSM and the entire esports community, especially by a team that shares our passion for excellence and growth,” said Andy Dinh, CEO and Founder of TSM. “With the relentless pursuit of victory that has defined TSM, and the innovative spirit of Shopify Rebellion, we believe this move will ignite fresh success and further elevate the competitive landscape of esports. And thank you to Riot for their exceptional partnership in this process.”

Who are Shopify Rebellion?

Shopify Rebellion is a Canadian esports organization, with rosters already competing in VALORANT, StarCraft, Dota 2, Halo, Street Fighter 6, and Rocket League. They first started in February 2021, and have been rapidly growing within the scene. And yes, they are linked to Shopify, the multinational e-commerce company. 

Shopify Rebellion will take over TSM’s roster

The TSM LoL roster will now compete under the Shopify Rebellion banner beginning in the 2024 season. That being said, they will have a few choices to make considering that three of the four remaining players on TSM’s active roster have contracts that will expire this November (Hauntzer, WildTurtle, and Chime). Only jungler Lee “Bugi” Seong-yeop has a contract until 2024, while mid laners Insanity and Ruby have already left the organization, according to the GCD. This means that Shopify Rebellion will have to either sign new players or at least renew with the ones that still have a contract. 

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