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Schalke 04's Esports department might have to sell their LEC spot due to the organization’s economic issues in their flagship football department.
The team is currently on the verge of relegation from the Bundesliga, standing at the last spot in the table with just nine points after 22 games. The organization is standing on the edge before a massive financial fall in the upcoming fiscal year.
The German side also has to deal with the resignation of their former chairman of the supervisory board, Clemens Tönnies, who was involved in a COVID-related health scandal.
The organization's financial debt has also risen to a whopping €200 million. All these factors have collectively added to Schalke’s woes.
Unless the financial situation suddenly improves and their Bundesliga's form takes a magical positive turn, Schalke's loss of the LEC spot looks unavoidable.
Schalke 04 is in huge financial trouble and could be forced to sell their LEC spot.
The value of a championship spot depends on the expense generated by the Esports department of any organization. It is also no secret that most global Esports teams hemorrhages money because of the sport's low popularity and user base compared to the other sports.
Schalke 04 is heavily dependent on revenue generated by their football team. When that department faces a financial breakdown, other departments feel the pain.
Team management has also hinted at selling the Esports team given sheer economic necessity in a short time. Although the decision is not confirmed yet, team officials have promised to try everything to avoid selling the spot.
Unfortunately, if Schalke 04 ends up selling their LEC spot, Riot Games will need to look for another team from the European region to replace the Germans. A team from France's LFL might be one of the plausible candidates.
The value of a spot in these regional League of Legends tournaments is not fixed. It is completely dependent on the market's supply and demand. Thus, Schalke's LEC spot's exact value is still unknown. L’equipe estimated the value to be around €20 million.
Schalke 04 Esports is one of the founding teams of the League of Legends European Championship. They have tons of memorable League narratives in recent years, including the 2020 LEC Summer Split miracle.
This year too, Schalke is on a good run in the spring split. They might get into playoffs for the second time in a row. But everything still rests in uncertainty unless their football team does a Bundesliga miracle in the second half of the season.
