A message from Malte Wagener, Managing Director of North America & Oceania, and Tom Martell, Global Esports Director of Operations, on the future of the Oceanic Pro League (OPL).
When we started this journey five years ago, we set out to build the first professional esports league in the region. From those humble beginnings, we enabled top players to become pros, and we gave fans a place to cheer loudly.
At Riot Games, we want to build competitive and sustainable leagues that drive commercial growth and fan engagement and that support professional play as a full-time career. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of our teams and players, the OPL has not met our goals for the league, and we do not believe that the market is currently able to support the league in its current form.
So today we are announcing the dissolution of the OPL and the closure of Riot’s Sydney office, as it primarily focused on operating the league. However, this is not the end of League esports in OCE. We remain committed to supporting our pro players in the region with a path to continue their careers moving forward. Beginning with the 2021 season, we are adding OCE to the competitive territory for the LCS, so OCE players will no longer take an import slot on LCS rosters. This will open up new opportunities in North America for top OPL players. We will also hold qualifying tournaments in OCE for both MSI and Worlds in 2021, ensuring teams from the region will continue to be represented at our two major global events next season.
With all that being said, Riot remains fully committed to supporting all players in OCE, and we are excited for what's to come in 2021 and beyond.
Malte Wagener, Managing Director, NA & OCE Tom Martell, Director of Operations, Global Esports



2020 플레이인에서

레거시 이스포츠가 '유럽과 터키팀'을 박살내고..  조 2위를 달성하면서

무려 중국팀과 다전제를 펼치는.. 마지막 불꽃을 불태웠던,  지역인데요.


OPL의 경우. 리그 규모가 줄어들면서 올해는 '최저연봉제까지 폐지' 되어서...  선수들이 1500만원 전후.. 를 연봉으로 받았다고 알려져 있는데요.

규모가 줄어들면서 OPL 리그 개편이 확정되었습니다.


대신, OPL 선수들을 위해 'OPL 지역 선수들은 LCS에서 용병슬롯을 먹지 않는' 로컬 취급을 받는 것으로 개정된다고 합니다.

(즉 LCS는 이제 캐나다 + 미국 + 오세아니아  지역리그가 됩니다)



?!?!?!

OPL 선수들 입장에서는 대우가 천지개벽하는 수준이라 좋은거긴 한데.. 흠흠..

내년의 북미는 달라질것인가.