How is T1 building a better future for esports? CEO Joe Marsh: “It’s not only about having a super team. It’s about having a fandom once you win”

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As a dedicated esports enthusiast with years of immersion in the League of Legends community, I found the interview with T1 CEO Joe Marsh to be both enlightening and thought-provoking. Having closely followed the team’s journey since its inception, it was fascinating to hear Marsh’s insights on the challenges faced by teams like T1, the importance of minor regions, and the evolving dynamics within the industry.

During a comprehensive conversation with David Szajnuk, CEO of T1, Joe Marsh discussed the team’s upcoming plans, Faker’s potential retirement, the world of esports, and various other topics.

During an engaging conversation with YouTuber David Szajnuk, CEO Joe Marsh delved into T1’s influence on League of Legends and esports as a whole, addressed Zeus’ exit from the main roster, introduced Doran, discussed esports personalities, minor regions, fan bases, content creators, and numerous other intriguing topics. Let’s explore some captivating insights from this interview.

The biggest issues in League of Legends

CEO Joe Marsh, who has been with the T1 family since 2019, discussed the challenge of sourcing and choosing young talents due to a decline in the number of players. He stated that “few new talents have emerged lately, not just in our region but seemingly everywhere.

The CEO emphasized an issue regarding the amount of resources put into creating League of Legends, which didn’t always return to the development teams as expected. Marsh articulated the necessity of establishing a long-term business model, ensuring investment in content quality, building trust within the community, fostering fan support, and prioritizing player wellness throughout the entire production process. In simpler terms, he highlighted that it can be challenging to consistently generate a suitable return on the high-quality content produced for a free product like League of Legends.

Zeus vs Doran: “I wish Zeus nothing but the best”

As a gamer, I’d put it like this:

“Faker transcended esports”

When we talk about esports celebrities, it’s impossible not to think about Faker’s impact on the visibility of esports and League of Legends. “We’re selling a lifestyle and these guys are superstars, they’re true celebrities”. He expressed how important is to dedicate time to understand the players, to let them thrive and grow with each other as well as to guarantee that they can, individually, be well, healthy, and strongminded to every challenge they’re into. He even said: “Gumayusi has the strongest mental I’ve seen” and how impactful that can be to the team synergy.

“Faker transcended esports” as a whole, he brought an attention League of Legends has never had. With attention came the fandom support. “It’s not only about having a super team. It’s about having a fandom once you win”. Marsh talked about how important was not only to win tournaments but also to maintain fandom support, to give them a reason to support you. “Our fandom is passionate” and that is indispensable.

You can’t play the Korean style against them [LCK teams], we set the meta, you’ve got to do better.

Joe Marsh

The importance of minor region storytelling

Marsh pointed out that Riot should focus more on telling compelling stories, avoiding a self-centered approach featuring only Faker and themselves. From this angle, it’s equally crucial to highlight the tales of minor regions, allowing them an opportunity to flourish in the esports landscape. This not only offers them regular playtime against prominent teams but also enables them to establish a dedicated fanbase. Marsh emphasized the significance of “commencing modestly” and maintaining originality when facing larger teams, as demonstrated by FlyQuest’s victory over Gen.G during League of Legends Worlds 2024.

Instead of keeping minor regions separate from the major ones, Riot Games should consider investing in these areas more extensively. This approach would allow for the untold stories of these regions to shine without the constant comparison to established powerhouses like T1. By focusing on these regions, not only will they benefit but it will also bring increased visibility and potentially higher revenue from these previously underserved markets.

Content creation vs esports

The CEO of T1 emphasized the significant transformation esports has undergone over the past two decades and stressed its growing importance to players, teams, and businesses. He acknowledged that the game we know today is vastly different from what it was 20 years ago. In addition, he addressed the content creation industry and highlighted that most players are not naturally inclined to be content producers. Using Faker as an example, he noted that while Faker excels at League of Legends content, he may not be the most engaging personality due to his unique style.

Are we ready for a world without Faker?

The T1 CEO expressed his hope that the next T1 event, ‘T1’s Red Bull Event’ scheduled for December 15 in Paris, France, is still a ways off. In this tournament, we’ll witness T1 going head-to-head with various European teams like G2 Esports, Karmine Corp, and the most recent addition, Los Ratones.

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2024-12-09 16:41