TSM is one of the most iconic organizations in League of Legends, and they have always been an important part of North American esports history. More than a decade later, CEO Andy 'Reginald' Dinh announced that TSM was leaving LCS for another Tier 1 region.
TSM will go down in history in LCS in North America
North America plays an important role in the competitive history of the League of Legends saga. Despite rarely achieving international success, players like Dyrus, Bjergsen, and Doublelift do emerge as superstars in LCS. All of these pros played for TSM at one point.
Despite their mediocre overall record over the past few years, TSM still has a large fan base that has stood the test of time. What's more, many fans have been hoping that TSM's roster will finally showcase North America's strength. TSM is also the world's most valuable esports brand.
Last year, Forbes announced the world's most valuable esports team, and TSM won the list with $540 million
TSM is seeking a world title by moving to another region, with many believing it will head east to LCK or LPL, but the organization is also looking for buyers for its LCS slots. According to a report by The New York Times, TSM is looking for a price that will be double the price it would pay to stay on LCS, but it's much lower than other slots in the past.
While TSM made a lot of changes to try to really earn themselves a world title, the move didn't keep them in North America. TSM CEO Andy 'Reginald' Dinh announced that TSM will leave LCS and move to another Tier 1 region, LPL, LEC and one of LCK.
TSM wants to leave LCS to pursue a world championship
Domestically, TSM has been a successful organization. Until recently, they were a top-three team, often winning titles in their region. Even back in the early days of League of Legends, this team is top-notch.
The once-brilliant TSM is being eclipsed by LCS
Internationally, things are not so smooth. Like many other North American organizations, the team has never had success winning a World Championship.
So, in order to find a team that has a chance to achieve international glory, Reginald announced that the team is transitioning from LCS to a different Division I division.
He explained the reasons behind their move: "We made a difficult decision to start the transition to another level of region. It may feel sudden, but honestly, we've been actively working on this for the past 3 years. ”
He then said TSM's goal is to bring home the world champion "at all costs," even if that home is in a different country. It has not been specified which region they will move to, but he said it is a Tier 1 region that narrows TSM to transfer to LPL, LCK or LEC.
That said, this announcement doesn't mean they won't end the LCS Summer Race. It has been found that the team is making personnel changes, such as temporarily signing Fenix to ensure they can have a roster of summer spitting, and it is unclear how long the transition will take to another region.