Hot Takes: TSM’s Must Win

Remember at the end of 2017, when we all heard the news that TSM would be releasing Doublelift, Biofrost, and Svenskeren. It seemed kind of insane. This team that had won 3 straight championships was just going to be broken down entirely. While the team was terrible internationally, it seemed like an overreaction the dismantle the entire thing at the time, and it seems that generally, this roster change was met with much more sorrow than it was hope. TSM had a promise to its fans to meet however. TSM was the most successful org in history, and to its fans, international failure was simply not an option anymore. So, Regi made a decision, to rebuild the roster and see what happens. Fast forward two years later, and the entire brand promise of TSM is now at risk. 

Azeal pointed out on The Dive after TSM lost to CG that, TSM’s entire brand has been winning. Since TSM has been in the LCS, they have been a first or second place team. This was true right up until franchising. Franchising however changed the entire LCS landscape, with previously irrelevant teams like TL now being at the top, and new orgs like 100T and Clutch making deep playoff runs. This means that, the LCS is intrinsically harder to win due to the new amount of talent in the league. This put TSM in a very rough position, because the cornerstone of your brand is winning, and that task has become a tenfold harder. 

The first loss to CG in quarters you can shake off as a fluke. The loss the C9 in Semis, a bad series. Losing in the regional Gauntlet? It was a reverse sweep, it barely counts. Losing to TL in finals? It was a reverse sweep?!? Losing to Clutch Gaming again?? Well, maybe TSM just, isn’t the best team anymore. There is no more time for excuses, failure is no longer an option. TSM is about being the best, no matter what roster, no matter what season, no matter who their opponent is. If you are a fan who started rooting for TSM because of that success, how much longer are you willing to wait around? I think, for many fans, missing Worlds could be the last straw for many fans. 

It is important to note that, missing Worlds means that, not only has your team failed again, but TSM will not be putting out substantial League content again until next Spring. Team Liquid, Cloud 9, and CLG or CG will be putting out Worlds content until the end of November, while TSM will have nothing new for the community. North American fans also tend to gravitate towards rooting for just NA as a region during Worlds as opposed to just their teams, meaning that TSM fans will be more likely to consume content made by the other 3 orgs at worlds, and potentially sway their loyalties. 

 We also have to consider that, for NA fans, making it to Worlds isn’t enough to be considered a success. With TL makings MSI finals and Cloud 9 making worlds Semis, the bar for international success has been set a lot higher by NA fans. Simply making it to Worlds is no longer enough, domestic success is no longer a prize in itself. If you want to be seen as a successful team in NA, you need to be good outside of NA now. So for TSM, to not even go to worlds, that is a complete failure.

Is the TSM brand dead if they do not make worlds? Of course not, that isn’t the way that teams work. If TSM does miss Worlds however, it is easy to see how next season, this org is simply another middle of the pack LCS team.

References

(The Dive Season 3 Episode 26) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VIbZUc-4bA

Cloud 9 Worlds Photo – https://www.dexerto.com/league-of-legends/when-are-the-lol-world-championship-semi-finals-fnatic-vs-c9-ig-vs-g2-197083