Schalke 04 will stay in League esports after selling LEC spot to Team BDS

German football organization Schalke 04 announced they would keep their focus in League of Legends esports months after selling their LEC slot to Team BDS for $31.5 million.

They will continue to participate in the Prime League Pro Division, the European Regional League for LoL operated by Riot Games. When Schalke 04 were a part of the LEC, the org’s academy team FC Schalke 04 Evolution participated in the league.

“We are happy to remain part of the League of Legends community and continue to play with great ambitions in The Prime League,” Director of Sport and Communication, Peter Knäbel said in a translation of their announcement. “We want to fight again for the German championship and also have a say in the EU Masters.”

Both of Schalke’s main roster and academy team featured great talents like Felix ‘Abbedagge’ Braun, before being sold to 100 Thieves, and current players like Sergen ‘Broken Blade’ Çelik, Artur ‘Zwyroo’ Trojan, and more.

It’s unclear which five players Schalke 04 will field in the Pro League, but their commitment to League was great news for fans and competitors alike.

FC Schalke 04 Evolution was in top form in 2020 when they won the regular season and finished in second place in the Summer playoffs.

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“We are happy to remain part of the League of Legends community and continue to play with great ambitions in the Prime League. We want to fight again for the German championship and also have a say in the EU Masters,” Director of Sport and Communication Peter Knäbel said.

From the announcement, it seems like FC Schalke 04 latched onto the esports audience that they fostered during their time in the LEC. “It quickly became clear that the sale of the LEC license was not the end, but merely a new chapter in the success story,” they said.

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Although they won’t be in the LEC, they’ll still be featured in Germany’s top league for LoL alongside other big names like mousesports, BIG, and more.

Schalke 04 Evolution finished in last place during the Summer 2021 split, and we’ll see how that improves now that they’ll have their LoL division has its full attention on it.