Griffin gives up on LCK, won’t apply for franchise in 2021 season

Jun 28, 2020

Reading time: 2 min

One big name in the LCK missed the deadline to apply for a spot in the new franchised league and won’t be returning in 2021.

Griffin might be done with League of Legends. After months of controversy and being demoted to Challengers Korea, it seems like the story of this team is coming to an end. Griffin becomes the only team from either Challengers Korea or the LCK to not submit an application for a franchise.

It doesn’t come as a surprise that Griffin didn’t apply, as the team has been going through a really rough patch. Ahead of the 2019 World Championship, Griffin parted ways with head coach Kim “cvMax” Dae-ho. Several accusations of abuse surfaced against cvMax shortly thereafter, which led to an investigation by Riot Games Korea. Despite being found guilty, there was no punishment for cvMax who found a new home in DragonX.

After a disappointing performance in the 2020 LCK Spring Split, Griffin got demoted to Challengers Korea. The team dropped its entire roster and coaching staff, which was followed by several members of Griffin’s management exiting the organization. Griffin seemingly couldn’t recover from the scandal and this is the last fans will see of the brand that revolutionized the LCK in 2018.

Who is applying for a franchise spot in the 2021 LCK season?

All teams in the LCK and Challengers Korea applied for a franchise in the league, with the exception of Griffin. Several other organizations are likely to have applied. Despite submitting a letter of intent, American organizations NRG Esports and Faze Clan didn’t complete an application.

LCK fans won’t know that name of the teams selected until later in the year, but there are some names that are certainly going to be part of the league.

T1 and Gen.G are two of the best, most credentialed organizations in competitive League of Legends. These teams have a presence not only in South Korea, but also in North America. T1 and Gen.G are two of the only eastern organizations that produce content with English subtitles, making it accessible to fans all over the world. T1 and Gen.G are iconic in the LCK, a solid brand attracts investors, which would make it an absolute shock if they weren’t given a spot in the franchised LCK.