For a breach of LCS safety regulations, 100 Thieves were fined 5,000 dollars. A few days later, the eSports organization is one advertising partnership richer
What do LoL eSports players Rayan ‘Sniper’ Shoura and Michael Jordan have in common? They both insist it’s not the shoes.
But first things first: The 5,000 US dollar fine recently imposed on 100 Thieves by Riot Games was definitely due to the shoes. Their top laner ‘Sniper’ had entered the stage of the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) last Saturday wearing “Crocs” brand footwear that was open at the front. His toes were not covered.
A violation of the safety regulations of the North American LoL league, which resulted in the aforementioned payment request from the developer and organizer. The next day, the entire 100 Thieves team turned up in Crocs. However, these were models with a closed front in order to avoid further fines. Asked about the breach of the rules, Shoura told dGon Esports that he “didn’t care” – as long as he didn’t have to pay himself
Partner pays penalty: “Cash or card? “
The 17-year-old doesn’t have to: on Wednesday evening, 100 Thieves announced that it had entered into a new partnership with the shoe manufacturer in question. He would also pay the 5,000 US dollars directly himself – an effective advertising measure. The Crocs account had already commented on the fine on Sunday under the X-Post: “Do you want it in cash or by card?”
The fact that the cooperation came about so quickly after the shoe scandal in the LCS suggests that negotiations may have already taken place. This assumption is also supported by the official announcement from 100 Thieves. This initially made a direct connection between the punishment and the partnership. However, this passage has since been removed.
The first joint project between the eSports organization and the listed company is a commercial. In it, his teammates ask ‘Sniper’ what makes him such a strong top laner. They repeatedly ask whether it is “because of the Crocs” – which Shoura always denies. However, a caption at the end claims the opposite.
The video alludes to a Nike advertisement from 1989, in which Michael Jordan is asked similar questions about his shoes by actor Spike Lee. The basketball legend’s answers are similar to those of ‘Sniper’. Jordan has become a billionaire with his Nike deal over the decades – the partnership of 100 Thieves will probably not be quite as lucrative
