Rumors regarding KOI and the LEC Summer Champions Rogue have been floating around for a while, but finally it has been confirmed and the two teams have come together in a 'strategic alliance' to take on the LEC in 2023.
KOI and Rogue are two of the most well-known franchises in European esports. KOI has made a name for themselves in the Spanish LVP, as well as in VALORANT, while Rogue finally got over their demons in 2022 and took home the LEC Summer Split trophy.
Now, these two teams have announced some major changes for the 2023 season that will affect not only their League of Legends teams, but also their other esports, such as Rogues Call of Duty League team the Minnesota Rokkr.
KOI Joins the LEC in 2023
This partnership will allow KOI to join the LEC in 2023 with Rogue rebranding to the Spanish team's name. The current management of the Rogue LoL team will stay the same though, meaning that other than a name and colour change, everything else behind-the-scenes should stay the same.
Ibai, co-owner of KOI had this to say in the press release regarding the partnership:
This partnership with Rogue just accelerates our growth and broadens our opportunities to provide the most engaging and exciting experiences for our fans. ¡Vamos!
Ibai As Brand Ambassador
Ibai is one of the most subscribed streamers in the world with a huge Spanish-speaking following. When he founded KOI, alongside soccer player Gerard Piqué, in 2021 the esports org became one of the most popular teams in a heartbeat. KOI has been competing in the Spanish LVP, as well as VALORANT. Now, he will spearhead the partnership between Rogue and their teams as well as KOI.
The partnership will go into effect in 2023 and will span over all teams that both KOI and Rogue have under their names. This partnership will enable Rogue to further their reach with new talent acquisitions and huge social media reach thanks to Ibai's presence. Will KOI be able to win the LEC Spring Split right off the bat? We'll have to wait until the LoL off-season to know more on that.