Disguised Toast launches Patreon as DSG team will cost $1m in 2023

Streamer Disguised Toast has launched a Patreon to help support his esports team, which is on track to cost $1 million in its first year.

In a video update, the popular content creator gave the latest news about his esports project, which started in January with the signing of a men’s Valorant team.

Disguised Toast’s decision to dip his toes into the esports pool was applauded by the community, especially as it came during a dark period for the industry, known as the “esports winter”. Several companies have had to lay off staff and scale back operations and some have even shut down amid financial challenges.

But as much as Disguised has been a welcome addition to the esports landscape, the project has required considerable effort and personal expense by Toast, who is on track to spend $1 million in 2023 and has struggled to find sponsors willing to help alleviate the financial burden.

“Brands don’t want to be in esports because they’re tired of bleeding money,” he said in his latest video. “We approached this very high-profile energy drink brand that is currently sponsoring another very high-profile esports org.

“We went to them and we were like, ‘Hey, we noticed you’re in the esports space. We’d love it if you’d partner up with us. Here are our numbers. Our YouTube numbers do twice as well. Our Twitter engagement is ten times better, and we only want half the money. Can we work something out?’

“They said, ‘Sorry, we’re leaving esports. The only reason why we’re only sponsoring this team is because the contract ends next year and then we’re out of here because they didn’t deliver on what they promised.’

“That’s pretty much the story across the board. Brands are scared of esports because they invested millions into it and they didn’t get any significant return.”

Disguised Toast went on to paint a bleak picture of North American esports. “All of them [organizations] are either broke or going broke. And I do mean all of them. Some orgs will try to put on a front and say, ‘Hey, we’re still good. We look good. Everything is cool here’.

“Trust me when I say: Everyone is losing a lot of money. A lot of people are being fired. No org is safe right now.”

Disguised Toast launches DSG Patreon

The OfflineTV member added that, in order to help fund his esports team, he has partnered with “the most sponsors I have taken in my career.”

“Every sponsor [means] being able to pay for one more player’s salary for the month,” he said. “It keeps DSG going and buys me more time while I figure out how to make it all work.”

Moreover, in an effort to help balance the team’s books, Toast has launched a Patreon to give fans the chance to support the project for only 5$ a month, with all money going “directly to the players and staff.”

Subscribed members will be able to join the Disguised company Discord and receive exclusive content from Toast, including access to the company’s finances.

“If you are really curious about the money breakdown, that is something I’m going to make available,” he said. “If we’re asking for fan support, then it is imperative that we are transparent with how that money is spent. We have to be financially responsible.

“You will see in the balance sheet that we are paying our players a pretty low amount.”

Disguised Toast is currently supporting only a League of Legends team, which competes in the NACL, a developmental League of Legends competition that is one tier below the LCS.

Last week, the creator parted ways with his Valorant squad following the relegation from the Challengers League, with the organization currently re-evaluating its future in the scene.