Ibai teams up with Barca star Piqué for Astralis SB purchase worth $355K

Popular Twitch streamer Ibai Llanos and professional footballer Gerard Piqué have confirmed they’ve come together to purchase a spot in the Superliga, the Spanish national competition in League of Legends esports.

One of over a dozen competitions in Riot’s European Regional League circuit, Superliga is the official Spanish competition for LoL with 10 teams competing in two seasons annually.

Superliga comprises a mix of academy rosters and semi-professional teams, like many of the esport’s regional leagues, with a promotion and relegation system. Astralis’ academy team had recently achieved promotion for the 2022 season, though they’re now making way for something new.

According to Dot Esports, Astralis Stormbringers’ place in the league has been purchased by Ibai and Piqué for $300,000 ($355,316) though they’re yet to settle on a name for the team.

The report also revealed that the Spanish league is in the sights of major organizations such as British org Fnatic and domestic brand Team Heretics, who are also interested in competing from 2022 onwards.

• Read More: How to watch Ibai stream Messi’s first PSG match 

Ibai, a popular content creator who recently made headlines by livestreaming Lionel Messi’s first PSG match for free on Twitch, used to represent G2 Esports — the Spanish org perhaps best known for their numerous championships in the LEC and their performances internationally.

G2 Arctic, the org’s academy side, are among the other teams that compete in the Superliga. Current LEC champions MAD Lions also have an academy team in the league, joined by prominent domestic organizations Movistar Riders, Team Queso, and Vodafone Giants.

Barcelona footballer Piqué has already been involved in esports for a few years, serving as the president of KONAMI’s eFootball league since 2017.