The Zeus Controversy Aftermath - T1 CEO Responds

[@Rivalrvn]

Shop the cheapest, 100% licensed ingame currency available at: topup.bot Join the topupbot community: discord.gg/X6ZenWMw

[@tbbsenpai5341]

Kinda dissapointing Wuthering Waves is not available

[@AaillemaC09]

T1: Hello- Doran: Yes The chillest contract that ever been signed

[@sandhinfk]

T1: Hey doran, we need a top. Can you join? 1 year 5 mil. Doran: Sure, I just transfer 5 mil to T1’s bank account, please check! Actually is it enough? I can give more! T1: 😳

[@jacklu1611]

Doran walks into T1 headquarters and just starts to sign every single piece of A4 paper that has text on it XD.

[@shinjimirou928]

​@@jacklu1611 His picture going to the T1 HQ makes him look like a lost college freshman in the campus lmao

[@josephadrianduran1384]

​@@shinjimirou928 Can you drop a link? Curious to see this one 🙏

[@luk4s56]

"yeah you know how you no longer got a spot on your team, yeah we been fucked over too want to give them hell?"-probobly the entire conversation

[@Lsir]

I like how contrast the Situation of Doran and Zeus Agents. Doran Agents = "T1 called and its a yes" Zeus Agents= *_Ghosted, FOMO, Manipulated bastards_*

[@memb.]

And gaslighted lmao

[@doctorlasagna1187]

Bro literally woke up and became a T1 player LMFAO 💀

[@cassweatherwax9559]

@@doctorlasagna1187honestly i cant blame doran and genuinely hope the best for him lol. like if somebody called you up and said “hey this legendary worldswinning superteam needs you” no way you say no. his path is going to be brutally difficult though and i hope he gets needed support

[@karysma7386]

​@@doctorlasagna1187Best blessing doran probably woke up to 😂

[@Tom-bi7ir]

If zeus wanted to stay there he would be there no agent can make you do anything you dont want to. sure the agency were massive pricks but this is on Zeus at the end of the day. what a twat man. breaking up that dynasty of a team when T1 would have met any reasonable offer no doubt

[@iamreaperd]

This whole situation is so obviously fishy. How bloody terrible that ZOFGK is ending like this.

[@luckasneo2089]

i hope they might reunite next year.

[@biggdogg33]

Nah, Zeus burned the bridge. This whole shit shows his fault. If Zeus said, "I want to leave" early in the process. Then T1 could've signed kiin. But Zeus dragged his feet and obviously didn't want to sign. No counter offer was given to T1, which is very telling. It wasn't about the money. Joe doesn't want to believe Zeus doesn't want to be there. He blames the agency instead.

[@xKayNee]

@@luckasneo2089 Nah too soon, unless Doran has problems or shits the bed then possibly. Also gotta secure the other T1 players too. I'd say it's unlikely. Also Zeus would need to fire his agency because no way is T1 willing to work with them again.

[@makxsalen]

​@@biggdogg33bro even Joe Marsh said he's welcome to come back

[@Jinisinsane]

We got DOGFK as replacement so theres that

[@GreyIsolet]

I ain't believing a word from that Agency. Might be just me, I do not see why both T1 and HLE would lie in this scenario. HLE will just get unnecessary controversym and T1 REALLY wanted to retain the roster and already had merch for it, they had so much to lose. As for the Agency, I've heard this is the same Agency that: 1.Tried to sell off Zeus to the LPL 2. The whole Nuguri DK / FPX fiasco (I mean look at Nuguri rn) So why would I believe an Agency like that?

[@tuandungnguyen2025]

Same, the whole agency argument was “T1 offer is not up to market competitiveness”, clearly they are about the money, while T1 and Joe seem really passionate about the roster.

[@ericpi9453]

You are correct, why would you trust the agency, any agency, acting towards T1’s or HLE’s favors. But T1 did, they asked the agent to reply before Kiin resigns with Geng so they could have a chance to get Kiin from the market. Bro, why would you want to that and wait. Just contact Kiin immediately once both Zeus and Kiin entered the free agent market.

[@DethroneDemon]

I feel like the merch loss really proves who is telling the truth. T1 isn’t going to preorder a ton of merch if they don’t believe the deal is good and done.

[@unknowguy9642]

​@@ericpi9453 They never contact Kiin because maybe they have always thought that they would get Zeus 🤔🤔? Why would you contact another player for recuiting when you potentially gonna get one already (T1 have high certainty that they would get Zeus since they allegedly got a verbal confirmation from Zeus before and they have the money to match any offer)? Also what about the info that Kiin and Zeus is under the same agency? They could totally coordinate for Kiin to sign quickly, then set a tight deadline for T1 to respond and ghost any contact from T1. The issue here is that T1, a major world org, former trainer of Zeus and have a 3 year bonds with him, a team that already signed all the other roster member and also started making ZOFGK merch. Why would they give up on negotiation just to ruin the whole plan? And dont even say that T1 have no money, they just win world back to back, the money from the world best roster is definitely enough to cover the amount HLE offer. So there should be no problems coming from T1, which only left the Agency and Zeus side to match the story and they fail to do so by saying that T1 fail to make a good offer.

[@deadfromhell1235]

@@ericpi9453 Didn't Kiin sign with Geng before he became a FA

[@Hubythereal]

T1 literally put their money in ZOFGK, and it’s so obvious that they were ready to keep Zeus for whatever cost. No way anyone in the world will wash this clean and say “Zeus wanted to leave for more money”. That’s just can’t be.

[@IRLBilled]

Zeus was literally controlled by the agency, it's sucks but I hope he's speak up from the issue after his contract on agency expires 😅 maybe it's too late but exposed it.

[@potatertotes]

More like he really wanted to leave T1 and wanted to get the best deal he could get in LCK/LPL

[@moonxu8188]

@@IRLBilledas if Zeus wasn't the one signing the contract?? you're in lala land

[@hadespower7426]

I am assuming money isn't the real reason why zeus is leaving t1, with 2 world titles his career longevity is basically guarenteed. I think that he is just looking to contest for domestic titles and possibly international. HLE's remaining 4 players is by far better than T1's and I think the team will be elevated by signing on Zeus, T1 just lost their best player.

[@wardonvoid9598]

@@hadespower7426HLE 4 players by FAR better than T1?????? Pls, stop

[@nekky9534]

"Negotiating earnestly" while confirming that they did not make counter offers???? Brother, it smells like a fish market.

[@skelet8337]

And confirmed they didnt agree to a meeting like what did they negotiate what they will have as breakfast tomorrow xD.

[@ui8087]

you missed the part where the agent never stated what HLE's offer was to even provide something to compare with /for/ a counter offer.

[@colin5197]

@@ui8087 The agent is not obliged to reveal that to T1. The agent works for Zeus, not T1.

[@colin5197]

They don't need to make a "counter offer." They gave T1 an original offer and T1 tried to negotiate it. Thing is, T1 has no leverage here. If they were really willing to offer the player anything they wanted, Zeus never would have made it to FA.

[@skelet8337]

@colin5197 they didn't T1 made the initial offer and the agency decided they want to make any offers.

[@skrattaoppar9753]

Tbh this is how you beat T1, 4 semis in a row and 3 finals in a row is an insane stat

[@BanTheManofGreed]

Maybe this is their enemies strategies? LOL

[@Kazeeee23]

if u cant beat em, buy em ig ? lol

[@demonslayer203]

zeus was sick of not winning domestically xd

[@moshimic5628]

Not even DDOS attacks stopped T1. If this doesn’t stop T1, the government itself might end up taking action LOL

[@dingleberry4234]

Isn’t it 2

[@franckielouann4651]

The fact that Joe Marsh went ahead and answered all the questions- yes, I TOOK THE TIME TO READ ALL OF IT. It was also clarified that the invite for the AMA was finalized even before Worlds but Joe Marsh postponed it until after the stove league at the very start of the AMA shows he is very willing to answer questions when he has all the answers. It had Chinese and Korean translations as well so this points to the fact that these was well prepared and not hasty just because of the fiasco. Overall, the tone he set were as follows: 1) they wanted Zeus and willing to match the offers at all costs but how will you match an offer when the agent has not given terms clearly? They were left hanging, guessing then blindsided.That is where the problem stemmed and ended. 2) T1 does not just offer money but the utmost player environment, respect and welfare even as an academy trainee, main roster, retirement and post-retirement support. I need not elaborate on this, if you have been following T1, you know there are plenty examples of this. The current trio of coaches alone now also show that it extends to the entire team, not just the players. This means building a legacy to anyone that has held that T1 badge, that will go beyond the pro career. 3) T1 respected all the other 3 players request and met them. The controversy was not the only thing discussed (though it was quite encompassing), questions about OGK were also answered. Joe's tone was protective for all of them, even to Zeus- disappointed, regretful but PROTECTIVE as well in the context that if he wanted to stay, he would have done so and they will be there for him (he cited that Zeus called Kkoma last year to help him stay in T1 and not go to China-this bit of info means this time Zeus himself did not reach out to them, meaning he can do something...so the writing was on the wall). He wished him well and wanted to clarify this to not cause due harm to Zeus and his family. Compare this to the agent's PR statement. 4) Joe contacted HLE about the deadline and HLE confirmed to Joe that there was no deadline set on their part for the contract signing. In this regard- its clear to me that giving a few extra hours to the people who are on their way to meet you, listening to them even if YOU WILL ULTIMATELY REJECT them at the end is PLAIN COURTESY to an org that you spent years with. 5) T1 as an org has an elite reputation to all the pro players- it has been years but many ex and current (not to mention future) proplayers have high regard to its management. If that does not a much more telling way- just look at Doran. He put himself in possible jeopardy for being FA (T1 did not reach out to his agent until it was confirmed Zeus signed to HLE) in team placement and compensation but snapped up the opportunity to be with T1 (confirmed by Doran himself in his 1st live in T1).

[@blizzen]

#1 T1 lawyer working overtime

[@link16600]

4 : Unless you simply don't want the negociations to happen, and so you start by not showing up at the appointement on the morning, and then you establish a deadline that ends in less time than needed to actually reach the new meeting place. And just to be sure, you ofc refuse to talk by phone.

[@BurlierCobra0]

I also see it dumb for the agent/agency go for anything other than t1. Now I'm no legal expert for sure but I assume the ZOFGK brand would somehow net the royalties maybe not, but if it did then wouldnt that from a financial point be better for the player, or just the plain fame associated with a brand based on a team of dubble world champions plus fakers 5 titles

[@link16600]

@@BurlierCobra0 From agency PoV, ya got 2 options : - Signing with T1 again, who are ready to match every offers that can be made to Zeus - Signing with another team, getting the exact same amount of money, but also having the joy to take your revenge on T1 who made last year deal with JDG fail, and maybe even having a really nice % offered by HLE It's not about Zeus will at this point, they even could have simply told Zeus that T1 aren't offering a lot, as they did last year, like "dude they are robbing you!", and he would trust the agent since actually Zeus never received any offer from T1 simply because the agent ghosted them from the start.

[@carljojohnson]

​@@link16600 it's disgusting but that's what most agencies do.

[@blengdiabloed7335]

What I think about this controversy is, I think the agent conspiracy might have been true. I think Doran has a lot of weight to carry now he's in T1, not to mention how people view him as that guy who trolls especially considering one of his plays as Aatrox randomly flashing to a wall, got auto'd and ran away back to mid.

[@sytherwusky]

What ever happens one thing for sure: this may result complete overhaul on how Korean esports contracts are structured in the future

[@window9213]

@@sytherwusky Will never happen. Korea is basically owned by the companies and this isn't news from how scummy these kinds of companies are, putting money they would make before absolutely everything.

[@reaper8264]

I mean no shit.... Doran is only at best a region stomper and at worse a troll, he can drag in the LCK but once Worlds hit he crumbles and just ints.

[@alexandarthedivine]

I know this is super random but I love your subscriptions brother.

[@sisco47]

At first I was not okay with this. After the dust is settling I think doran is really a hero. I wonder how much doran will grow in t1.

[@정동우-n2x]

I am Korean. In Korea, the player ZEUS is suspected of tampering(tapping up). Because of this, public opinion in Korea is unfavorable. This is because a similar incident also occurred in baseball, involving the same company. At HLE, a baseball player named Jeong Geun-woo was involved in tampering, and since it is practically difficult to obtain physical evidence, people only have suspicions. Therefore, in Korean communities, there is strong public sentiment against tampering incidents like the Rookie-Kakao case. Additionally, that agency is the one involved in the 'NUGURI player tampering allegations,' which further fuels such public sentiment.

[@olsenfernandes3634]

Can you explain what you meant by "Tampering"?

[@정동우-n2x]

@@olsenfernandes3634 tapping up

[@정동우-n2x]

@@olsenfernandes3634 tapping up

[@TiramisuCake-00]

@@olsenfernandes3634 i think it means the player contacted with other teams before they are out of contract with their current team

[@hotmochagrande3156]

Damn situation on fire now 🔥

[@pnocreations6742]

to summarize things, Zeus's agency is lying, because who is in the right mind to replace a member of a 3x consecutive final appearance, 2x consecutive world champion, invested in million of merch just for him to be kicked out? I smell T1 suing the agency of Zeus.

[@somebodyiguess-752]

There's zero chance T1 made a bad offer or at the very least weren't willing to counter-offer, the amount of sheer money they'd get from merchandasing alone is worth. I hope that agent gets what he deserves.

[@bluemoon4944]

I hope T1 sues them into oblivion

[@YoSoymarron]

​​@@somebodyiguess-752Seems obvious that the agent doesn't care about Zeus potential earnings on the side. They secured the bag on a big contract.

[@somebodyiguess-752]

@@YoSoymarron that's for sure, yeah. It wouldn't be a surprise if he got an "extra" to get him signed off T1

[@Blargah]

@@YoSoymarron They sure as hell better be sure that bag's big enough to cover everything that's boutta come their way, cuz NOWAY in hell is T1 gonna just sit down after being screwed like that. at the very least that agency is gonna lose all credebility and if shit hits the fans Zeus's agent is gonna be deleting their entire internet footprint with all the T1 Fans that'll be thrashing em.

[@Dfrty43]

Agent definitely shady af

[@yellow5408]

Trying to make the most out of their players basically.

[@Aliens1337]

@@yellow5408I think the agent took a back-door deal with HLE. HLE paid him privately to get him to sell Zeus to them. There’s no reason why the agent is screwing T1 so hard. T1 clearly is willing to match any offer and outbid the highest bidder since the ZOFGK branding is so important to them. The agency ghosting T1 and manipulating Zeus to sign with HLE makes me think HLE and the agent made a secret deal.

[@New-ho9gp]

The agency is the same agency as Nuguri during 2021 with the whole DK/Damwon FPX drama. That should tell you everything about the agency.

[@zackrodriguez6653]

It seems clear that T1 couldn't offer Zeus a contract that reflects his current market value, if you believe the rebuttal. Given the nature of financial negotiations in general, it seems as if T1 was banking on Zeus staying, couldn't pony up the cash to keep him, and ultimately released an AMA to cover their inabilities in kind (he said / she said contract negotiations aside). Agents are easy scapegoats, but remember that the player and his rational self interests are at the center of all negotiations. It is likely that Zeus, coming off 2 world championships, wouldn't settle for a less-than-market value contract if only to stay on T1 / please the T1 fans. If I were Zeus here, I would take one of the competing competitive contracts as well.

[@memb.]

​@zackrodriguez6653 no it is not clear at all. We don't know whose words to trust. My gut says the agency is lying as they have the least to lose from it.

[@Tohkii_0h]

To add more context, the agency is the same one that got Nuguri into FPX after their 2020 world championship, and we all know how that turned out for Nuguri when he was in the LPL

[@nix294]

Literally killed his pro career. All they care about is just chasing the bag.

[@AchidnaMantra]

@@nix294 The reason Nuguri retired is because once he won the world championship he kinda fell out of love with the game, he just doesn't want to do it anymore. I really think Zeus is going the same route just not for the reason you think. You see T1's schedule is the most packed out of all the teams due to their branding being like a Kpopesq type of group basically turning them into celebrities. Zeus doesn't want that pretty sure he will just be chasing the bag in the following years because he has nothing to prove to ya'll especially T1 fans he shouldn't feel obligated to stay if he doesn't want to. Also the reason why Zeus agency even engaged in negotiations with T1 in the first place is to up his offers from other teams. So as per common business practice they had to play along even though they had no intentions of signing back to T1 because it's part of their strategy to up his value. Also putting a deadline even though it's real or not is a common practice as well. Also Kiin already resigned with Gen G because Chovy already resigned before this Zeus drama because the plan was Chovy and Ruler contracts was to be announced first same as Beryl signing back to Damwon He was already signed just not announced yet and Joe Marsh specifically said there were not in any negotiations at all with Kiin. Basically long story short no Kiin = No Chovy that was Gen G situation.

[@AhfLabib]

​@@AchidnaMantra sure but did u see what his teammate on fpx say about nuguri, he didn't even try to learn Chinese he just silent when he is on fpx, if nuguri really want more money I'm sure teams want him in lck, it might br less than what he got from fpx, but his mental is not gonna be destroyed like when nuguri on fpx

[@AchidnaMantra]

@@AhfLabib He couldn't learn Chinese because his Lung collapsed then he retired he was already enduring minor injuries that turned serious. You can't make a sick man do something he has no time of doing he's too busy fighting for his life everyday bruv literally.

[@AhfLabib]

@@AchidnaMantra then why nuguri also ignored doinb the only one that communicate with the sk doinb, I'm not angry with nuguri about fox that team have a lot of problems sure but did he have also ignore doinb

[@realiascailt]

The HLE situation seems kinda fishy. Doran said HLE didn’t try negotiating with him. He and Zeus were the only good top laners left, why would they just let him go if HLE wasn’t sure about getting Zeus? Something doesn’t add up

[@tommylee7102]

totally

[@DragonRaider5]

Good point!

[@Tacti_Kal]

Facts. Wouldn't be surprised if Zeus Agency & HLE has some type of under the table deal in place. Businesses aren't always clean cut.

[@Ruenne]

Weren't they trying to get Kiin? Maybe they were also very motivated to get Doran out as a lot of people blame him for some/most of HLE's international losses. So even if it's a rookie, it would be worth it.idk though

[@colin5197]

This is such an awful take LMAO Until Kiin and Zeus officially resign there's no reason to negotiate with Doran. They obviously wanted to upgrade. And if Zeus and Kiin both resign HLE could just call him up just like T1 did and sign him. The only thing that doesn't add up is how T1 is so incompetent for such a prestigious org.

[@faloughasch9239]

I think that it's hard to tell what the truth is without Hanhwa making a statement or hard evidence coming out. T1 said that Hanhwa said one thing, the agency said Hanhwa said the exact opposite. Without knowing which is true it's hard. I'm personally lesning towards T1, but I'm biased to Faker and Keria rather than Zeus, which is why I'm not actually taking a side yet.

[@Rivalrvn]

Hanwha not making a comment really makes this hard 🙃

[@hxdsgn4375]

Hanwha answering any of this statement means they kill themself cause whatever the ending hanwha absulutely got that backlash, being silence which obviously looks terrible was the best option they have.

[@yelly13mori]

​@@hxdsgn4375 this. people over at twitter ranting that HLE should just say confirm or deny the deadline so this finally ends, when in fact, HLE not saying anything is the smartest. Confirming there was a deadline fucks up their relationship with T1 and their credibility takes a hit, denying fucks Zeus, and that scummy agency. Rather than ending the issue, it will just add more fuel to the fire.

[@subtilizer4664]

Absolutely just check the OGK they got resigned with no accident whatsoever last year this is the issue too about zeus He is the last one to sign the contract and abouit to go to LPL due to high offers

[@Etsinderion]

I heard something about T1 potentially pursuing legal action against the agency for deceptive practices and loss of major money because they were marketing on Zeus still being on T1. That to me says a LOT about how concrete they are that the agent is in the wrong. If you are willing to stake legal action, you know you're right.

[@ntvlemm]

Wait, am i reading this correctly? So basically T1 said that ThePlay didn’t respond to them and weren’t actively communicating to T1 and ThePlay just pretty much admitted it. They didn’t communicate because they were “trying to protect Zeus rights”, so they didn’t communicate. And T1 said they just kept T1 on hold because they were waiting for other offer, ThePlay denied this but latter said that Zeus have much more interesting offer because he has joined free agency, so they did put T1 on hold to “evaluate Zeus’s market price”. I do recognize some issues with T1 respond but it’s just so funny to me that ThePlay just basically responded saying “Yeah we did everything you’ve accused us, BUT…” lmao

[@memb.]

This. After a lot of thinking I'd add that Zeus himself didn't want to renew his contract with T1. Whatever his reasoning was.

[@ntvlemm]

@ i also think that without Zeus’s agreement, ThePlay wouldn’t be able to closed the deal so in some part Zeus just didn’t want to stay. But i have heard that some agency in Korea are notorious for neglecting their talents wishes so this could be a case of that. And i don’t think T1 was that mad about losing Zeus, players come and go and T1 knows that, i think they were mad because the agency didn’t gave them a fair chance to try to convince Zeus to stay at T1

[@DWgic]

It's worse than that even. "We had no meeting booked before 10am or after 3pm". This statement alone proves they will lie through their teeth to try and muddy the water in whatever way possible. They did have a meeting that they ghosted and screwed around with T1 on purpose. Now they dragged Zues and HLE back into the drama so they can tank some aggro while the agency hides some more. Hope T1 sues the everliving daylights out of them and they're blacklisted from the entire industry.

[@luk4s56]

@@ntvlemm also if he wanted to leave he could had given them heads up before all the merch fiasco

[@samanthabourne4865]

Because not this Agency's response making it sound like Hanwha owns them?? Why are they so dedicated to HLE though? 'HLE's deadline', 'decision between the player, our agency and HLE' ...LOLOLOL Why is it WORSE? It makes it very obvious they favoured HLE's offer after they proposed Zeus being sold to them, simple.

[@jpnguyen11]

The amount of money T1 lost on ZOFGK breaking up makes me believe T1 side more. The entire merch revenue could pay all the players salaries, if this blows up more, maybe we'll get some screenshots of communications? doubtful though. All this will blow over once the new season starts.

[@samanthabourne4865]

Because not this Agency's response making it sound like Hanwha owns them?? Why are they so dedicated to HLE though? 'HLE's deadline', 'decision between the player, our agency and HLE' ...LOLOLOL Why is it WORSE? It makes it very obvious they favoured HLE's offer after they proposed Zeus being sold to them, simple.

[@colin5197]

You are delusional if you think the merch would generate enough profit to pay all the players salaries LMAO That is easily the funniest thing I've read across all these threads.

[@jasonchangdalekrule]

@@colin5197 t1 is one of the few organizations that runs at a profit (with the exception of faker's salary, which is paid by SK Telecom). This is previously known from Joe Marsh.

[@Me_Caveman]

Zeus fucked up. First by getting a shady agent and second by letting T1 go. They never had any intention of staying with T1. Long may Doran prosper. If HLE refuses to comment, it's because doing so would make their newest player look bad. Zeus needs a new agent.

[@ronlanders7354]

Nope. If t1 was exaggerating or deceitful, hle will face backlash from t1 fans. It's best to stay quiet.

[@New-ho9gp]

It is pretty funny since Joe Marsh did HLE a favor by saying in his AMA that HLE did not know about any deadline, basically telling the fans that the agency was doing all of that on their own and HLE is innocent, ONLY for the agency to drag HLE back in and say that they knew about a deadline. If I were HLE and their PR team, i would be pissed lmao.

[@noksinoksoh7161]

@@New-ho9gp Yeah, the agency literally fked it up. The agency forgot that t1 is more favored by the people regarding this matter and getting t1 to say that HLE is innocent is very good to HLE's reputation. I hope that this agency will fk this up and forced to resign as zeus agency with regards to its shtty move.

[@AchidnaMantra]

@@New-ho9gp Agents can create deadlines as part of negotiation tactics it's pretty common practice, also manipulating 2 parties into getting a better deal T1 fans just can't accept the reality of the situation which is "Zeus never had any plans to sign into T1" His agency was just engaging into negotiations to up his value in HLE. Nothing more and nothing less keep coping braindead fucktards

[@TheMidnightillusion]

I don't think we can pin this on Zeus. Young players like him (only 20 years old) have to trust in their agent to make business decisions for him. In situations like this, the player rarely has the final say in what team they go to, plus we have no idea what the agent said to Zeus. If the agent was lying to T1, why not also lie to Zeus about what is happening?

[@aaawa2074]

Even though the agent seems shady af. If Zeus wanted to stay in T1 he would've stayed. It's not like he HAS to accept whatever offer his agent tells him to sign. Zeus left, Doran joined. As a T1 fan, even if we could sue and swap top laners I wouldn't want it. Doran is our new top laner and is a fan of the team. I trust Faker and the players to keep winning despite losing Zeus. That's why Guma is my favorite T1 player after Faker, like Joe said, he bleeds T1. I never doubted that Guma would ever leave T1. We know that he wants to be the face of the team. Honestly I always felt like Zeus was not attached to the team like the other players because every off-season is sketchy from him. The other players don't hesitate to re-sign but he always does. It's ZOFGK is done, it's DOFGK now. And also remember, Doran is Zeus's dad in LCK.

[@vinitrout3679]

Someone is really malding, also hope if zeus wants to get out of the team, he achieved it. Hipe he wins again while you mald and seeth here

[@nikopipo2643]

This.

[@yakimura96]

Best take ever, no one is getting my ass out of t1 if I ever laid my foot in there, even so if I made so big achievements like ZOFGK did, I'm only leaving if they drag me out. Zeus chose to leave and the fans aren't focusing in it, I don't get why, it is like they don't want to see what actually happened that is Zeus CHOSE to leave.

[@memb.]

​@@vinitrout3679 please tell me why would you support Zeus. T1 must be feeling betrayed right now so idk why you wouldn't sympathize with the team instead?

[@SpeediRogue]

​@@vinitrout3679 oooh it must hurt that it took this mess for you to have any hope that T1 does not perform huh , people like you licking zeus balls right now were calling him inconsistent and weak link not even a month ago and as soon as he leaves and you get a wiff of a chance that T1 might get weaker you start shit , the five stars speak for themselves

[@Showmemercy123]

Zeus fell victim to the corporate world. Young and stupid(don't get me wrong, i am not trying to excuse him) got swayed by the agency that cares only for the bag. I think this HLE roster will flop real hard, not hating or anything, but just a gut feeling.

[@bismarck5537]

Three things than can happen: T1 wins Worlds(again) but this time with Doran, breaking his international curse and making Zeus kinda irrelevant in ZOFGK’s legacy. HLE wins Worlds with Zeus. That means Zeus has better luck at winning Worlds than T1 roster and Doran’s curse strikes again. Both team don’t win Worlds but get to finals or even win domestic titles. Thats the neutral state that does not change the perspective.

[@memb.]

Only time will tell. Let this be a learning experience for everyone

[@sushi_17]

@@bismarck5537 I kinda like the drama, interesting narrative at worlds 2025 if T1 and HLE face each other in the finals

[@lokksiders__2151]

@@bismarck5537 if both of the team doesn't perform then it's the worst case. Both of the team roster might change and that sucks.

[@hadespower7426]

you're delusional if you think this hle roster will flop, I am a geng glazer but after they signed on duro (actual joke btw just keep lehends at that point) hle became the favourites for lck

[@felix.1783]

respect for Guma just went way up.

[@BoomNoBastic]

Guma is a T1 lifer.

[@RoyZennet]

What did he say?

[@miaumiauu23]

​@@RoyZennetGuma said i will destroy you solo under hle zeus welcome pic 😂

[@Tacti_Kal]

​@RoyZennet Guma taking a 1 year deal contract. Even with wining back to back Worlds. He still playing trying to prove himself & would rather take 1 year deals as a motivation to keep chasing. Kinda the opposite of Zeus chasing the biggest bag possible.

[@Mememeep]

@@RoyZennetGuma bleeds T1 red and black.

[@hxdsgn4375]

I rooted for Joe, why? he's sane enough to not throw the entire team branding and economy just for few hundred thousand k$, please count the ammount of sponsor, merchandise, and stream revenue they generate. Unless zeus agent skyrocketing his value beyond thus they can say that T1 offer lacking. Thus Zeus agency statement you could considered valid (if you wanna turn this case to court this was the best thing zeus agency could do to avoid consequences) Hanwha Life refusing to release statement could have 2 major reason. First, Joe already stated that Hanhwa did not know about deadline fiasco, replying to this as true will destroy Zeus agency and absolutely damaging Zeus reputation. Second, agreeing with Zeus agency basically confessing that what Joe said was true cause no way T1 will let Zeus go without fighting back with counter offer. Thus make Hanhwa looks like conspiring with Zeus agency with this drama. Zeus leaving T1 basically downgrade in every scenario, you left best team, left best enviroment, you destroying all branding you got before, you left fan heartbroken (lets be real T1 fans stay for faker OGK is giga bonus for them). If you dumb enough to left T1 with this move you basically repeating what Canna does, now look at him does he achieve something? No. Also Zeus agency have bad reputation and doing something like this was not their first, zeus also almost got throwed to LPL if he not contacting Kk0ma to keep him stay in LCK, and you telling me that this agency is GOOD is godlike autistic.

[@zerefuuutv]

Agreed 100T1%

[@memb.]

I agree with u... also, is English not your first language? I'd recommend you throw your comment in Chatgpt first with a prompt like "fix grammar errors"... I think it'd great as a learning tool! Ty

[@hxdsgn4375]

@@memb. I got zero respect for this language

[@AchidnaMantra]

I am not sure if you know this but in regards with these merch sales value you are talking about. Did you know that the players only get a miniscule amount from these sales? Heck if they even get anything at all, sponsorships are different but ultimately T1 Org pockets all of it. Also deadline fiasco are you fucking stupid? Setting a false deadline is not Illegal underhanded sure but it's a complete common practice also manipulating two parties to get a better deal is common practice as well. One thing you have to understand hopefully this doesn't go over your head because you're a braindead fucktard "Zeus was never going to resign with T1" His agency only engaged with negotiations with T1 to up his value with HLE what don't you understand about this? Why can't you just accept he doesn't want to resign with your organization because your fans are know to be one of the most Toxic in lol esports history. What's wrong with a quiet life and leaving all these tomfuckery behind?

[@shironeko2781]

@@memb. who cares

[@PiantaBroker]

feels weird watching the background clips with the old item system. I really did not miss them

[@Rivalrvn]

Seeing goredrinker tripped me out

[@jaylen5273]

@@Rivalrvngoredrinker prowlers claw and gunblade need to come back

[@darthmax4466]

No one talks about Zeus' part in this. At the end of the day, he chose to sign somewhere else. No matter what agents say and do, if he really wanted to stay he could have.

[@teeehy14579]

In Joe's 35 pages interview he mentioned that last year the Agency tried to sell Zeus to LPL but Zeus called Kkoma about it and he ended up staying at T1. This year the agency ghosted T1 and Zeus also stayed silent so it clearly meant he wanted to leave T1. If he wanted to stay he would have done something so it's clear that he never intended on staying since the beginning

[@TheKamakazipenguin]

@@teeehy14579 Yeah I wouldn't be surprised if the insane schedule of T1 played a part in his decision to move to HLE especially if he would receive a similar amount (maybe less if you take out merch etc) but I would make the same decision if it came down to a job. If there are two job offers that are similar but one is more chill than the other I would choose the one were I had to do less.

[@demitrees]

Cmiiw but zeus signed hle after doran signed t1. What he signed on the 19th was letter of intent to hle not the actual contract

[@colin5197]

@@teeehy14579 You realize that the agency can't sell Zeus anywhere right? It's Zeus choice. If you had any braincells you'd realize that the agent was fielding offers from the LPL for Zeus to see what his value was and where he could get the most. In the end he decided he wanted to stay with T1 and called Kkoma himself. How convenient though that this gets leaked right after T1 finds out Zeus intends to sign with HLE. It's almost like T1 is trying to make the agent look like the bad guy taking advantage of Zeus.

[@teeehy14579]

@@demitrees This is what Joe said and also whatever Zeus signed, it almost left T1 without a top player for the upcoming season. Q. How quickly was Doran signed ? As soon as we were notified that Zeus would be signing with HLE, Becker and Josh reached out to Doran's agency and quickly finalized a deal. Doran showed tremendous appreciation for everything T1 offers as an organization and was eager to be a part of T1, which made it easy to come to terms on a deal that worked for both sides. We hope the fans give Doran all their love and support as he joins the T1 family.

[@jieldcroas]

In the end everything was clear, it was Zeus wanted to leave T1. Not Zeus get screw over by his agency or because of T1. Because Zeus can stay in T1 if he wanted it like last year's when his agency wanted him to China, but Zeus reach out to T1 to stay at T1.

[@JY-mh8fr]

THIS. Zeus can make his own decision, t1 fans can't face the bitter truth.

[@mysteryguy3220]

@@JY-mh8fr Yeah, I mean that's right too. However, the way it was handled was unprofessional. If Zeus wanted to be out, he should have said so. Or even the agency should just straight up said that Zeus is not accepting any offer from T1 and not wanting to play in the team anymore.

[@jieldcroas]

@@JY-mh8fr just like you said Zeus can make his own decisions, but fans also can make their own decisions to support him or not.

[@jieldcroas]

@@kyeda Zeus literally keep contacting with T1 through the phone. Also remember this, last year's his agency try to sold him to a China. But Zeus himself talk to khoma so he can stay in T1. That already prove that in the end Zeus itself that can decide, not the agency. The players was the one that decide whatever they wanted to sign the contract or not. Not the agency. The agency job was make the contract more favorable for the players, and make the sign more simple through them. But in the end it was up to players that decide. Especially Zeus, remember Zeus was not being raised by the agency instead he was raised by T1. So his agency can't force Zeus to do whatever they wanted.

[@renhardhalim]

If Zeus want to leave then why he act like pussy!?? In this scenario he looks more like a puppet rather than a human. Knowing T1, if Zeus said he want to leave i'am sure this case would be more clearer if he speak up. T1 could even made a "Thank you Zeus" content for Zeus. To me this looks like a 50/50 decisions rather than 100% decision that coming from Zeus.

[@edoardog4042]

tysm rival, truly inspiring, humble guy just wanting to create a comunity and reporting news. cant thank you enough, keep up the good work

[@DaddyRogu]

Thank you Rival for serving the tea while it’s piping hot. You are doing the Lord’s work. God bless you 🙏

[@colin5197]

You could argue its just farming views by commenting on every new thing that get's released instead of waiting for all or most of the facts to come out and then breaking it down with all the info.

[@rspengu]

someone definitely got paid a bag for this

[@hmj9783]

The question is who ... there are several possible scenarios but that would be pure speculation

[@chinkyflahz]

if it was about a large bag china would've been a better option. i doubt anyone is beating t1 domestically

[@karisaka7576]

​@@chinkyflahzHLE is the richest team in LCK

[@hanna76543]

must be the agency and Zeus 😂

[@rspengu]

@@hanna76543 is my guess too; I think his agent got paid big bucks to bring him over but idk its just speculation.

[@fincheeze]

I don't want to claim anything and this is really shady, but what if they can't beat T1 with ddos, hate campaign or at the game... this is their new tactics. It's for you guys to think about.

[@colin5197]

No need to think about that. It's just ridiculous. Seek help.

[@jasonng2000]

One is a renown organisation ceo whose reputation of himself and organisation is at stake for his comment. While the other is an agency apparently a subsidiary, with questionable reputation. From the way both parties answered, we can see who sounds more firm and less playing with words for e.g. negotiation doesn't mean they gave T1 a counteroffer or direct answer. They can simply say they gave T1 a counteroffer rather than saying negotiation right? Anyway this is just my two cents.

[@Nightmarezzz-qh2zr]

The merch for ZOFGK already out. T1 will put on any deal match to HLE and would try the hardest to keep the roaster brand value. After all these sections I’m not sure about Zeus, but pretty sure the agent weren’t going to let T1 match the deal by any means. This agent has been known for selling off players and not care about the player’s future in the past. I like the ZOFGK roaster and not mind splitting it up for spice. But the agent cannot get away like this lying and don’t care the actual player.

[@Z1rith]

regarding this situation either zeus really didnt want to stay on t1 or the agent is an idiot or corrupt. the amount t1 had riding on merch, branding, and sponsors was significant and gave zeus a massive hand in negotiations since their losses for him leaving probably cost much more than zeus's salary, it makes no sense financially for t1, the agent, or zeus for this outcome to occur. it's honestly incredible that this happened lol

[@hmj9783]

Joe Marsh mentioned in his interview that Zeus called kkOma (one of the T1 coaches) last year (2023) when he did not want to get moved to the LPL (China) and kkOma helped him stay on with T1. So Zeus already knew that his agency was not acting in his interest but in its own best interest. So why did he not call T1 this year to confirm T1 was not longer interested in contracting him or meeting his demands ? May be he wanted to sign with HLE ?! Whether his agency acted in a third party‘s best interest who wanted to make sure the T1 roster breaks up at the end of this season (thus damaging T1 financially) can only be found out in a lawsuit which means that all parties involved have to put their cards on the table. T1, the agency, Zeus, HLE and whoever is found along the enquiry. But what would be the consequences ? Zeus is still signed with HLE, his and his team‘s performance could suffer in 2025 (which might anyway already be the case), T1 fights about this but has now Doran who came to rescue to think of now. I agree though that this agency should not be let off the hook. T1 and the rest of the LCK could blacklist it so that they would not deal with it anymore in the future so young players would not choose it anymore to represent them. And Kiin has to look for a different agency once his contract with it ends. At the age of 20 and taking into account what Zeus went through with this agency in November 2023 when he did not want to move to China, I am somehow not convinced that he did not want to leave T1 (no matter what he says now to save his face and reputation). May be his ego as a two Worlds Champion became too big or he was simply too greedy or ill-advised by those around him to realize what extraordinary value it is to be part of such legendary roster in every aspect "past, present and future“. He might have missed that part in the video with Gen.G. May be the discussion around the terms of his transfer tell him this now but too late. I think Doran (a huge T1 fanboy it seems 😂) fully deserves the fanbase‘s and T1‘s support to be their toplaner as he jumped in to rescue the situation for T1. And who knows what Doran may achieve being already one of the three toplaners of the LCK getting coached by a phenomenal coach team at T1. He might in the end fit the roster even better than Zeus with his somewhat special playstyle. And Zeus has a year or two to find out if he is doing better without T1 and in a new roster. Nothing is written and everything possible as always in the League of Legend. Let's look forward to a very spicy new season with so many really attractive teams on paper.

[@colin5197]

Delusional take. This will not go to court. How convenient that the 2023 "controversy" get's leaked after T1 finds out Zeus plans on signing with HLE. All that is implied about 2023 is that Zeus's agent got him offers from all over, including the lpl, to find him the best deal. And in the end Zeus decided to go to Kkoma himself to sign instead of through his agent. Nothing illegal happening lmao. The agency doesn't own Zeus, they can't just sell him to the highest bidder. If Zeus didn't like his agent he can fire him at any time. The agent and agency aren't secretly the biggest T1 haters in the world who have been plotting their downfall for years. They don't care about T1, they care about their clients. T1 could blacklist this agency but that only hurts themselves as that means they won't be able to acquire players such as Zeus and Kiin or anyone else with this agency. The other LCK teams don't care, especially HLE.

[@thriftsensei3713]

I don't buy what the agency is saying for a minute. Why would T1 be this upset if they were unwilling to meet terms. Why would they lie about what happened on something so serious and be so vocal about it when it could tarnish their reputation as an org.

[@colin5197]

Trust me, you guys would be WAY more upset at T1 if they said "sorry guys, we decided to lowball Zeus and he didn't like that so he signed with HLE. But good news is we got Doran." This is T1 being petty and trying to smear the reputation of the agency and Zeus.

[@thriftsensei3713]

@colin5197 so you believe an agency that tried to sell Zeus off to China after last world to the point that Zeus had to jump through flaming hoops to stay over T1? A very old org with a near flawless reputation with no history of lying or mistreating players?

[@colin5197]

@thriftsensei3713 lmao he didn't try to sell Zeus to China. He can't do that. He fielded offers from China, and Zeud decided he wanted to stay and contacted T1 directly. How coincidental that that info gets leaked right after T1 finds out Zeus plans to sign with HLE though... 🤣 T1 a flawless reputation 😂

[@chucklenuts6932]

What a way to end the legendary roster. No heartwarming farewell party, no sweet goodbyes, no emotional thank you video. It was like, it went up all suddenly in flames in a blink of an eye. Damn.

[@cain8009]

Don't trust the agency, in what world would T1 refuse to offer a "competitive salary" for literally one of the best top laners in the world as well as a player with all-star level fame that already fits perfectly in their team

[@ThundererR64T]

13:09 i'm pretty sure it will be between you and Necrit, since you are both the biggest information gathering channels about not only League the game but all that surrounds it (just like what you do in this video). These are my thoughts though maybe i'm completely off lol.

[@gamingquarrel6119]

Who are we kidding lil pup

[@Sloovy]

Thank you for the summary of the events Rival, it really does suck in the end that the roster is splitting up, especially from looks to be agency greed but I do still hope everyone can treat Doran nicely! Also gotta give a fellow Aussie that creator of the year vote congrats!

[@colin5197]

Delusional, please get help

[@nathanielrobles3284]

Hanwa looks shady too. Maybe they offered the agent a high money for himself so he will sell Zeus to them because it is impossible that T1 cannot match whatever other orgs offer. Ceo even said they are willing to pay the highest amount possible just to re-signs Zeus.

[@AchidnaMantra]

Zeus never wanted to resign with T1 his agency just engaged or even entertained negotiations with them to up his value with HLE but no chance he's going to resign because he wanted out last year and just game them another chance.

[@jannmervinarenas9178]

​@@AchidnaMantrayeah sure buddy, did Zeus tell you that or that is what you believe? Did somebody tell you to post that or you just looking to create drama?

[@AchidnaMantra]

@@jannmervinarenas9178 I'm the one creating drama? It's T1 fans who fabricated the reddit post that sparked all these misinformation speculation without proof fiesta. It's always T1 fans who can't accept someone moving on from them because they're all so toxic. If Zeus wanted to stay he can bypass organization and just signed to T1 so why didn't he? Why didn't he? Because same as last year he really wanted to leave T1 he just bought pressure from the fans last year but he wasn't having none of that BS this year. Peace of mind cannot be bought with money.

[@archangelwarrior9816]

@@jannmervinarenas9178 He bypassed his agent to call Koma to stay on T1 since they wanted to send him to China so he can do it if he want's to he wanted out

[@areck479]

@@AchidnaMantra He wanted out last year ?? Last year when his agency tried to sell him off to China and he had to call Kkoma to help him stay in T1 ?? Don't know where you get your infos bud, but they are not true lol

[@binsrean]

a minute ago is diabolical

[@Holasoyfelipesochao]

7:16 the Zeus will come back to t1 answer was so wholesome

[@hidencloud1519]

If you tell me you continued negotiation for days without any counter offer then Buddy!, you have no intention to join there in the first place. Most probably the Agency took bribe from the team behind Zeus's back for his contract in that specific team or bet big in somewhere about the roster change.

[@colin5197]

Delusional take. They repeatedly told T1 they wanted to test FA to find out what Zeus's value was.

[@ralphlawrence5096]

It's sad how the greatest roster League has ever seen, has ended in such unimaginable way, and was destroyed by a money-hungry agent, which isn't even part of the branding and the team's legacy. Imma touch him

[@colin5197]

so delusional. please get help

[@cocogoatmiilk]

I don't believe Zeus agency. The questionable part is that they already have verbal agreement, suspiciously small time window to negotiate after FA, T1 didn't think of another top laner until Zeus signing with HLE. Doesn't this indicate that T1 really want Zeus and how much they trust that verbal agreement? And then the agency just ghosted T1 and fuck over their future plans. And whatever it might be, Zeus himself should have known what's happened that day, otherwise he is just a puppet. Yes he is young, but he is already 20. .I can't believe that he is left in the dark in this whole situation (not blaming him tho, it's his decision. .but it's just a shame leaving in such a bad terms)

[@cocogoatmiilk]

Also if they after the money, the amount of money from ZOFGK even after Faker retired is still insane and Zeus will still have better future even if he just stay in T1 for another year

[@Aphorim]

nah zeus definitely wanted out

[@archangelwarrior9816]

Nah he wanted out last year he Bypassed his agent to call Koma because they wanted to send him to China but he wanted to stay on T1

[@moonxu8188]

get a grip. he's chasing more titles and more cash.

[@supersonicgood]

Zeus definitely doesn't have Faker's morals. I don't think he realizes the wrath that he will face from Korean netizens.

[@jasonbarrom365]

Zeus wanted out. Everyone acts like he's innocent in this scenario. Sure his agent did some shady stuff, but it's apparent that Zeus didn't want to be there anymore.

[@shunpo2433]

reguardless of who ends up where, I have followed T1 since the beginning and I will be happy to watch both Doran and Zeus no matter where they end up. I like them both as players and the forever evolving state of teams is just the name of the game. The reality is that good things will always come to an end at some point, but that leads to growth and new moments in the future that we otherwise would never have gotten to experience. I hope everyone can support the teams and players regardless of this outcome.

[@kirb1430]

why arent people talking about zeus?? like im sure his agent had a big hand in swaying his opinion bnut should his opinion be swayed that easy? just a bigger salary? i dont think the agent should shoulder most of the blame.

[@chatspam1238]

For real zeus definitely wanted out. Last year he contacted Kkoma, bypassing his agency to get re signed. This year he blocked the entire T1 staff.

[@Ducksquare]

@@chatspam1238 guess winning worlds back to back is too little for the thunder god now

[@Aphorim]

@@Ducksquare it'd be hilarious if his performance just tanks after he went to "greener pastures"

[@cocogoatmiilk]

Exactly. And if the money they after, isn't ZOFGK is the better deal? I mean even after Faker retired the amount of money are still insane, because ZOGK name is already established. Zeus will also have a better future even if he just stay in T1 for another year rather than leaving the team in a bad term. Also the other team member can re-signed pretty easily indicate there's something fishy going on

[@onedayiwillbegone2366]

@@cocogoatmiilk most likely he pussied out when he got a great deal, because to us audience, being at the top is cool and all with the benefits but the pressure is also immense, when the expectations you have to meet is so huge, so it's easier to just take the bag now, bail out and aim lower

[@evanwestphal3073]

I think it’s pretty clear that T1 tried their hardest considering they signed everyone else back really quickly and on terms they wanted (guma with a 1 year deal and Oner and Keria on multi year deals), it seems to me like that would’ve been able to come to an agreement with Zeus but it is what it is. It’s a lot of he said she said rn

[@colin5197]

Ya they tried their hardest to lowball the best player on their roster lmao.

[@R-3p0rt3-d]

This is so fucked up. T1 would never wanted to let go Zeus with all the merch in the pipeline. Also they qualified for worlds 3 times and won 2 times. Why would they wanted to part ways with him? (There are millions of more reasons) Also I can’t imagine that Zeus wanted to leave. T1 seems to be the best organization you could be part of. They won worlds two times in a row, and i assume they were more than just teammates. You can’t want more and you won’t get more than that! I can’t imagine that T1 doesn’t pay enough and that’s the reason.. I can only imagine that something went horribly wrong (10%) or the agency is fishy as hell and forced this situation (90%). If it’s all true what we think.. I feel so bad for Zeus and I hope he will be returning soon. (I don’t know how all the transfers exactly work, but I assume T1 Doran and HLE Zeus can’t be cancelled) Also I feel bad for Doran. He has all the ZOFGK fans in front of him. He needs to prove himself more than everyone else. But I am confident that he will find his place in the team and in the whole organization. I know T1 will treat him right and the whole Team will welcome him like he deserves it! I hope all the T1 and the ZOFGK fans accept the current situation and don’t blame Doran for things he’s not responsible for. He’s the last one who did something wrong!

[@AchidnaMantra]

And Zeus never wanted to resign with T1 it's just a win win situation. Zeus agency just engaged or even entertained negotiations with T1 not with the hopes of getting a Deal that Zeus wants with T1 but to force HLE to up their price which they ultimately did it's a negotiation tactic that's pretty common. To engage with parties you were never going to sign with in the first place to get more money with the agency that you do want to sign with that being HLE.

[@R-3p0rt3-d]

so you think he just did it for the money? His agent never tried to get more money from T1 who obviously would match the offers to secure the ZOFGK future. What’s the reason behind “Zeus never wanted to resign with t1”?

[@장서원-r1q]

lol no need to worry about the last part. Doran's receiving possibly one of the warmest welcomes EVER by the T1 fans (at least the Korean fans + the OFGK team) right now. opinions might change as the season progresses ofc, but absolutely NO ONE is blaming Doran for anything at the moment. They're too busy thanking him for saving T1's 2025 run chances.

[@gregorysheridan2015]

Zeus's Agent definitely got sports bets placed somewhere or he just dumped all his T1 stocks

[@Mememeep]

During T1 appearance at the K-variety show in 2023, he already intended to leave T1. So this was not actually surprising. But seeing T1 already making ZOFGK merch after the back to back Worlds win and stuff, I don’t think that Zeus’ departure was on the table. So it is kinds fishy…

[@xanxaxin]

IMO, The agency is scummy only if their contract with Zeus is Draconian, In other words, Zeus himself dont have power to weigh in. On the other hands, if the contract is Fair, then Zeus should still have the power to say NO, and stay with T1 no matter what. I think the situation is the agency is scummy + zeus himself does have the intention to leave. Which make it much easier for the agency to 'sway' his heart and make the transfer to HLE so easy. Again, unless the contract is pure Draconian. I dont think Zeus have '0' say in it.

[@colin5197]

So delusional. Please get some help.

[@maxounes]

What I don't understand is how they couldn't find an agreement, Zeus wanted to stay if the contract was good (i think) and T1 said they would match any amount to keep Zeus, so the problem is about 1-year 2-years 1+1-years deals or whatever that is? I'm lost

[@Defnotdiablo]

its essentially just the agency bullshitting. T1 have so much to lose there's no way they would give up Zeus if they have the opportunity to keep him, even if we just consider the financials of it, ZOFGK branding was gonna make them a lot of money with merch and such, but also with the reputation of the group together throughout so many worlds, it's absolutely in their best interest to keep Zeus. This leaves the only other options being that the Agent has either asked for an extortionate amount of money for Zeus that T1 couldn't meet, or that the agent ghosted T1 leaving them unable to renew the contract. It sounds like they couldn't come to an agreement because there was no agreements set, one side made an offer, the other side ghosted until time on negotiations ran out. For me personally, I don't know what Zeus' agency gets out of ghosting T1 but it feels pretty clear to me that someone in the agency has been up to something real sus and is lying to cover their tracks. It seems incredibly unlikely that there was just a miscommunication between both parties. Someone here is lying. And since T1 are the ones who stand to actually lose something from Zeus' departure, the only logical conclusion here is that it's the agency, which already has a shady reputation anyway.

[@colin5197]

@@Defnotdiablo MY god this is such a bad take. Please get some help man. You never once considered maybe Zeus wanted to leave? Maybe T1 wouldn't offer him what he wanted? Maybe Joe is the liar seeing how he can't present any evidence for his baseless claims. It's just sad people can be this dumb. But i guess it come with the territory being a T1 fan

[@colin5197]

From all the articles that have been released so far Zeus apparently asked for more money and more years. T1 sent multiple offers but the ones that have been made pubic are a 3+1 deal but with only a slight salary increase, and a 1+1 with a big raise. Do you see the problem here? They aren't giving him both of the things he ants, they say okay you can have more years but not the money, then they say okay here's the money but not the security. When Joe said T1 would match any offers to keep Zeus, what wasn't made clear is if they actually communicated that to the agency. Saying something like "please let us know what offers you get and we will match any." Now even if they did communicate that, Zeus and the agency aren't obliged to do that. Zeus and his agent also made it clear they wanted to test FA to see what he was actually worth before considering any more deals from T1.

[@Defnotdiablo]

@@colin5197 brother you are so mad for literally no reason. Resorting to personal insults here does NOTHING to support anything you're saying, and I don't even like T1 I don't want pro play AT ALL, just based on what I've seen it feels very obvious to me that there would be literally no reason for anything like this to happen except the agency. Why would Zeus leave the team that he has won worlds with twice, made finals multiple times, are infamous around the world with and has some of his best and closest friends? Especially when, let's be honest, who is going to give a better offer than T1? The team that so desperately wants him the most? You also have some very clear bias against T1, which makes everything you say less credible. Also you specifically said "apparently" asked for more money and more years, but as I said previously, why would T1 say no to Zeus? They were building a huge brand around him being part of the team, evidence has shown that they were NOT expecting it, the team members of T1 are taking LEGAL ACTION against the agency... I'm sorry but even IF what you say is true it doesn't change the fact that all the evidence points to there clearly being some behind the scenes shenanigans going on by an agency that already has a shady past. Logically the only conclusion to come to is that someone in the agency got greedy and pulled some sus shit for a fat pay check. Of course T1 would be lying but what would they gain from that when as I've already mentioned they were building a huge brand around him, were FURIOUS that they lost him, are suing the agency and lose millions from not having Zeus? All evidence points to there being 0 benefit to T1 from losing Zeus. At the end of the day, you're entitled to your opinions and theories, but being a prick about it is just unnecessary.

[@colin5197]

@Defnotdiablo T1 ain't suing the agency for this lmao. And what would the players sue for?🤣 Once again, 1 side has presented facts with evidence to back it up. The other side has made claims with no evidence. And somehow, you think the side with no evidence is right. I'm sorry you don't know how the real world works champ. It's also incredibly ignorant and disingenuous to think you know in any capacity what Zeus thinks or how he feels.

[@lonewanderer1249]

T1 has more to lose here by letting Zeus go as we can see They are working overtime to fix things up, so T1 did try but the agency just wasted time and played with T1.

[@colin5197]

The agency got the best possible deal for their client. They don't work for T1 or owe them *anything.* You're right about T1 having more to lose here though. That means T1 has no leverage in the negotiations. That was clearly displayed in this situation.

[@lonewanderer1249]

@@colin5197 The agency got the best possible amount of money for themselves too mind you. If Zeus gets a big bag then so does the agency and that's the part that makes this feel soo bad cuz it was never the best for Zeus but for themselves.

[@colin5197]

@lonewanderer1249 how can you say what is best for Zeus? Talk about delusion. I think it's safe to say the contract Zeus *willingly* signed is the best one for him.

[@lonewanderer1249]

@@colin5197 you missed my point, I said the agency was after the big bag and if zeus gets a big bag they also get it. And weather Zeus left T1 100% on his own is never clear. The agency had a big influence on his decision making.

[@colin5197]

@lonewanderer1249 bro Zeus wasn't held at gun point and forced to sign a deal. The agent works for Zeus, not the other way around. If Zeus wanted to be with T1, he would. I'm sorry you don't understand how the real world works. It would help if you left mommies basement every now and again.

[@jztn7136]

i love how this resembles tyler1's nickname regarding Dorans agents, "T1 OK GOOD YES"

[@Overclownfidence]

Couldn't vote for Rival's wooden spoon as community creator of the year, so I had to settle for Rival himself.

[@kinggoddavid5104]

Comments like this remind me how simpleton the human race is, y’all really so infatuated with a simple wooden spoon

[@entwoo2221]

I like how T1 is "This Agency sucks" and the Agent be like "Lies and how dare you say that Zeus Sucks"

[@estoylaroca]

I think it's pretty obvious that from everything, what I can say with 100% certainty, is that Zeus to a certain degree did *NOT* want to stay with T1. Even if your "agent" says so, you're a full-grown adult, you can make your own decisions. Zeus isn't a slave of his agent, at this point of his career, his agent needed him more, than he needed him. Maybe he just didn't want to live in the shadow of Faker... but honestly, *EVERYONE* is living in the shadow of Faker, no matter what team, no matter what lane. Zeus will be a loss of T1, but T1 and LoL will always be Faker.

[@scarlet-pc4ev]

The attitude leave the most sour note to me. Guma and Oner brought their agents to T1 hq and Keria signed at home. It shows their attitude towards re-sign and T1.

[@CoffeaLight]

The strangest point of this all is that the agency constantly states they wanted to "wait for free agent market evaluations." But he was only an FA for what, a day, before signing the contract with HLE? Am I misunderstanding something or are contracts normally this rushed? Like why did the decision progress need to be so urgent.

[@areck479]

Clearly that doesnt make any sense ... when you force the wait until Free Agent, you should hope for a bidding war between the teams that want the player to secure the biggest contract, knowing that the top 3 teams didnt have a toplaner (T1, GenG, HLE) secured, without even thinking about the other teams lol. But no, it was rushed so fast that many suspect tampering (HLE reaching before the contract end date with an offer), or some shady deal by the agency who could have been offered a fat paycheck in order to delay negociation with T1 to break the ZOFGK roster ... Even if Zeus wanted to leave, it was done in a fashion by the agency that let T1 without any possibility to secure a good replacement (kingen and Kiin were free agent too, both got signed during the negociation delay), we got lucky that Doran was so quick to sign.

[@sonnenblume4]

I am so happy I bought a Zeus jersey earlier this year. I am very sad he is gone from T1 and this will be a good souvenir along with seeing Worlds live earlier this month.

[@0321Mamba]

I’m genuinely surprised that Zeus’s agent even bothered to release the follow up to Joe’s AMA. Literally if you compare previous statements that he made and to the response he created after the AMA went live you can see sooooo many contradictions. There is no way in hell anything the agent said is true at this point. He contradicted himself 3 times at least….. 1) let’s all truck sign the agency in protest

[@demitrees]

He got pressured to release a statement... of his own accord mind you when he said he would release a statement (twice) and nothing came out. He could've just stfu lol

[@colin5197]

Joe has presented no evidence to defend his baseless claims. You are so delusional is hilarious.

[@ikowg]

logically, if T1 already marketing the ZOFGK thing, there is no way T1 doesn't want to spend a lot of money for them isn't? then how come the agent saying the offer is not competitive? it means either the agent is saying the truth or lying for hiding that zeus just dont want to play with T1 again. idk man...

[@supersonicgood]

It's what immoral agents say (bullshitting) to try to jack up the prices. It's unfortunate that there aren't many laws that dissuade these things from happening.

[@MemiJ0]

My theory is that someone wanted to destroy ZOFGK and the only agency that was shady was Zeus´s, so thats where they went with their money. Its stupid to assume that T1 would not negotiate with Zeus Agency and that they would just ignore "deadlines". They already went through so much for the upcoming merch etc. To sign Zeus with HLE is an easy way to get rid of him and zofgk, kinda. I hope he switches his agency before he becomes a second Nuguri.

[@akshansama]

Probably a third party is paying the agent large sums of money to try and strip away at T1, might’ve tried with the other player’s agents too

[@colin5197]

So delusional. Seek help

[@link16600]

Agency clarifications are, basically : - there were some "negociations", during ONE single day, and we simply didn't appreciate the offer and just said we will wait for a market evaluation and take benefits from FA situation incoming. - literally nothing during 1 week - 19th : we didn't meet/negociated with T1 before 9am nor after 15pm. Then deadline asked by HLE made us sign with HLE. They literally says nothing about what happened during 1 week, nor about what happened between 9am and 3pm on the 19th ! wtf xD Coincidence, that first part is what T1 CEO calls the moment where that agency ghosted T1 and ignored all their offers, the second part is when, from what T1 CEO said, they were supposed to meet each others but the agency never shown up and then called T1 at past noon telling HLE made a deadline, that ends in less than 3 hours and that if they want to negociate they have to come to Zeus house, which is hours away from T1 HQ, or else Zeus will sign with HLE ... Sounds more like that agency never ever wanted to deal with T1 again, since, as they are proudly reminding in their message, the 2023 negociations were not very cool (T1 convinced Zeus to stay instead of signing with JDG, which would have made the agency get a big bag of money...), and so they simply don't want to miss another opportunity to make money AND take their revenge on T1. To do so, they simply ghosted T1, made Kiin signing a new contract with GenG (same agency...), and then invented the deadline knowing T1 just couldn't be there in time so that the agency is free to sign whatever they want with HLE and without having to face T1, not having to talk to them at all, not having to let Zeus discover that T1 are up to match any offer, and not taking the risk that Zeus got convinced to sign with T1.

[@DeadpoolBIH]

i mean, zeus obviously wanted to leave, otherwise he wouldve bypassed agencies like he did before

[@AchidnaMantra]

True

[@TukkyHD]

Its obvious Zeus agent wanted to strong arm for more money. Im sure Zeus knew what was happening. Very unprofessional and it will affect him for the future.

[@mariogarcc]

Remember how after last year's world victory the DDoS sabotage situation happened? What doesn't make sense to me is that this agent ruined Zeus's and his own career for a slight discrepancy in salary. But what if it wasn't just a slight discrepancy? What if he got paid by "someone" to do what he did and sabotage the whole of T1 in a whole new way? That would make a lot more sense wouldn't it?

[@TedME-j6u]

You’re on point my man. The agency got mad money to screw over T1, Zeus was a victim as well.

[@colin5197]

Just when i thought T1 fans couldn't get any more delusional... You two show up.

[@spadesx_]

and btw, I already commented another comment, but i just wanted to shout out Rival for keeping us updated at these foresaken hours/since the clusterbomb dropped couple days ago. thanks and keep up your hard work bruv!

[@ryanroberts1738]

highly possible that HLE did whatever it took to break up ZOFGK and was the driving force behind this.

[@dissidius13]

Feels like a lot of these comment sections are paid bots trying to put all the blame to Zeus when that agency was notorious to putting past World Champs & Finalists to shi++y teams. The only thing you can blame him is his naivety to having a contract with that agency to begin with. All of these could've been easy if the corporate world wouldn't have had a hand on the competetive field. I see these happening all the time in different sports. What a sad corporate world.

[@12thirtyfour]

after the whole dead internet theory came to light, it’s hard to trust yt comments lmao

[@clowderrr]

Making doran win worlds is a good revenge arc

[@_risuwr]

The agents already set their eyes to the offer they want to take, and they just listen to T1 just for formality lol. What an agency.

[@chatspam1238]

Agent fishy but Zeus definitely wanted to leave. He blocked the entirety of t1 and ordered his family to ignore calls. But remember last year it was Zeus who contacted Kkoma himself just to get himself in the t1 roster. Him contacting t1 without his agents help vs him blocking everyone this year. If that's not intention to leave then I don't know what is.

[@ToTheGrave20]

Bros just making up stories that didnt even happen to hate Zeus 😂

[@huythai3448]

Where did you get any of that info that sounds made up af

[@chatspam1238]

@@huythai3448 Joe marsh, T1 CEO ama from yesterday.

[@luanphan2706]

you should be a writer, broski

[@zhen2575]

Thats what joe said in his ama. He said zeus bypassed the agent and talked to kkoma last year and decided to stay in t1 instead of going go lpl. ​@huythai3448

[@DarkMagicianMan20]

Eversince 2023, Zeus already want to leave T1 but Guma convinced him to stay for another year. Zeus known T1 wouldn't let him go, so his agency whisper to him the plan. But look like it turn out not so well. The comments above is my version of how it work behind the scene according to all the available evident, don't take it as fact

[@SlashBaldes]

Doran just say yes before say hello😂

[@yelly13mori]

I can imagine his taxi pulling up, him getting out to look up at the T1 building with hopeful eyes and mutter a quiet "yes" 😂😂😂

[@Xygard]

He truly want to play with T1

[@cocogoatmiilk]

Jokes aside. .I hope he'll do better with T1

[@ValkyrionX2]

Imagine the call was fried chicken delivery want to say the delivery at door below or something 🤣 The delivery guy probably "Yes? what do you mean sir? we got your chicken down here."

[@IAmBlueBuff]

It's really sad how things got ugly as if Zeus leaving wasn't bad enough. I honestly hope both parties and their fans move on without any additional drama and just look back at the time ZOFGK had together fondly...

[@KenKaneki_Kibutsuji]

From what I heard so far, this is the same Agency that caused drama with Nuguri and DK. They shipped Nuguri to FPX from DK because Bag was too heavy than a legacy for them. Last year too this agency almost sent Zeus to LPL if not for Zeus himself personally contacting Kkoma and signing back. Without proofs everything is hard to prove, but track record of this agency ain't good. Take everything with a grain of salt cause of lack of proof.

[@colin5197]

Lack of proof you say. I think you mean T1 has lack of proof for any of their claims. The agency on the other hand released a document breaking down the whole negotiation process with T1. T1 have presented nothing to counter that except for Joe Marsh saying "trust me bro" in an AMA. I think what you meant to say was last year the agency fielded offers from lpl teams to find out what Zeus's value was. Zeus then decided he wanted to stay with T1 and called Kkoma personally to tell them.

[@KenKaneki_Kibutsuji]

@@colin5197 A proof document written in Microsoft Excel, without any messages or screenshots attached? Wow, you people really taking Excel written words as gospel of truth? Until and Unless we see screenshots and messages, or voice recording, there is no proof. I'm saying it again, a excel written timeline without any screenshot of messages is not a proof.

[@noksinoksoh7161]

If t1 can send a proof that Hanwa denied that they put a deadline on zeus then it means the agency is already fked up. If the agency played a shady moved behind zeus back then it means zeus can fire them as his agency.

[@AchidnaMantra]

No they're not kid setting a false deadline is a common practice in negotiation tactics, it's ok to deal with multiple parties to manipulate prices. Meaning Zeus never wanted to sign with T1 in the first place as proof he wanted to leave last year also. His agency just engaged with talks to T1 to up his price with HLE that's all there is to it he was never going to resign the sooner you can accept the facts the sooner you can move on.

[@noksinoksoh7161]

@ it was not zeus, zeus and t1 already had verbal agreement. It is just the agency itself made some sketchy moves. We dont know how zeus and his agency contract works on signing in a team. Yeah its okay, but its not okay not to show up and response to any of the offers. Thats straightforward unwthical despite t1 where zeus started

[@4nanaide]

To me it sounds like someone is trying to really mess with T1. The DDoS attacks wasn't enough, so they tried to find a better way to hinder the Team, and it seems that it was taking one of their players away, delaying negotiations as long as possible and making T1 miss the opportunity to sign up Kiin. I hope this doesn't affect T1 more than it already has, and for them to come up victorious once again.

[@LTX-v6o]

It's starting to sound more and more like Zeus wanted to leave. For whatever reason we'll probably never know. Maybe he thought he deserved more or didn't want to be in the shadow of everyone else. On HLE he's probably going to be the highlighted player on that team. Obviously T1 wanted to keep him but, I don't believe they would've matched any offer. The other 4 players besides Faker have always had about the same contract. Their contracts are relatively the same now except the length of Guma's contract. I can only speculate he's hoping for a lot bigger bag next year. If they paid Zeus they would've had to pay everyone else. At the end of the day Zeus has the final say as he has to put pen to paper. If he really didn't want to leave T1 and if everything T1 said is true I doubt there would be such a lack of communication between both sides. I see a lot of people blaming Zeus agency but, its starting to sound more and more like he wanted to leave and be the main guy on a different team while getting paid more.

[@pjo8405]

Whoever speaks the truth don't matter anymore as hle is also taking a "keep safe" stand. What matters is Zeus needs to drop that agent and his agency. The agency stepped on T1 during the negotiations process, by doing this, T1 would absolutely not entertain him or any of his colleagues in the future and other companies might not bother either. T1 is like one of the big 3 companies in LOL Lck, while they keep saying they want to test his market value, who among the companies can really afford his salary in the end? By blindsiding T1 like this, that leaves like gen g and hle. But what if his performance in the future regresses? That won't bode well for his career. He must fire his agent, else he will be shipped to lpl and other regions after his hle contact ☹️ and we know lpl teams don't really keep players for long term, just look at ruler. T1 was their best bet, and the negotiations process if it was true was not good, making his agency very stupid and useless.

[@mlthawk]

I voted for you in the awards, whilst you could make an arguement there long form and more educational content is better for the league community at whole, no one really does what you do from what ive seen an you do it so well!!!

[@Ismael_xdd]

zeus fault thats the whole story nothing more nothing less

[@vinitrout3679]

Small brain xddd

[@KOHUNIT]

Although I agree that Zeus could have spoke up. He’s 20, he’s shy, and he’s not an agent or a lawyer. He hired an agent, unfortunately the agent was working for his own pockets instead of what Zeus might of wanted. If the agent was acting shady I would believe his might’ve forced Zeus to not meet with T1 and leave all negotiations to the agent

[@xKayNee]

Shame it ended this way, but I'm already on the Doran train. Will continue to support Zeus though

[@Ben-dq9jz]

Will not continue to support Zeus... looks like the Canna situation...

[@zerefuuutv]

Yeah, Zeus doesn't deserve the continued support.

[@ZyrexShorts129]

lol as long as Faker plays I'll support T1

[@jcskyhigh]

The agent got some money under the table. Cannot see any other reason for ghosting T1.

[@Chewbakero]

nah zeus just want to leave thats it. doesnt matter if his agents are shady, if zeus wanted he could. he has all the upper hand in this negotiations anyway. oh well T1 DORAN for the 3peat! imagine how bad zeus would feel is t1 still wins next year worlds. hahaha

[@Sanguinarius9999]

3:18 why put text up for too brief a window to even easily pause to read it.

[@yakimura96]

He chose to leave, there is no controversy here. He wasn't forced to accept any deals from his agents, he could simple stayed and that is it.

[@CookyMonzta]

It sounds to me like HLE or others were intent on breaking up T1; the only way they _think_ they could win, after T1 made the finals 3 years straight with the same roster; and it should be no surprise they went after Zeus, because he was the 2023 Worlds MVP; and even less of a surprise that T1's efforts to put forth a counteroffer were blocked. They wanted to break up T1 to crap their chances of a threepeat; simple as that. I hope Doran proves them wrong and T1's second dynasty holds.

[@hikari1690]

Such a shame that zeus left because of the agents. HLE not wanting to comment is just proof that they definitely screwed up T1 like the choo said and don't want to face the fan backlash/get investigated and smacked by T1 investigation for lying if they said they didn't set a deadline. I do not appreciate how a korean drama is folding out right before our eyes but I do hope a korean drama is made with Faker and Keria cameo-ing

[@colin5197]

Zeus didn't leave because of his agent. Unless you mean because his agent found him a better deal elsewhere.

[@hikari1690]

@colin5197 yes

[@colin5197]

@hikari1690 you realize it isn't illegal to lie, set deadlines, or lie about setting said deadlines too, right?

[@hikari1690]

@colin5197 yes

[@lyreqz1193]

Cant wait for the first HLE vs T1 match 🥶

[@ExcelJustExcel]

"Fair to the player"? only 400K difference? T1 Sponsorship deals make more per player. That did it, 100% Zeus' Agency screwed him AND T1.

[@demitrees]

And as if in the agency statement, he said t1 offers were "unacceptable" lmao

[@sangh.m611]

When signing a new contract, there are usually upfront money and commissions for both the players and the agency. In this case, obviously, the problem was not about the length of the contract or the salary Zeus gonna get, but it is how much they are gonna receive when signing.

[@PrideIvy]

From everything I see here Zeus really wants to leave T1 but before that he and his agent want to test his market value, at the end because T1 really wants to match the offer from HLE (which is the highest offer) they rush to sign a contract with HLE before T1 arrives to Zeus' house. This is why in the statements of both parties (T1 and the Agent) it was not stated that Zeus took part in any of the negotiation processes, even though he knew the negotiations were going hard.

[@kinggoddavid5104]

Rip the 3 peat dream

[@zerefuuutv]

They can tho. If they make a beast out of Doran. I believe in the T1 system

[@kinggoddavid5104]

@ oh bro faker is coming for his 3 peat for sure but if they did it with Zeus it would solid be the best team of all time

[@Cloak07]

3 peat is alive for zeus and for t1, but alas not for both together now

[@Symbolic33]

They can't blame Zeus personally for this, it wasn't his choice. It's so sad to see the greatest lineup end like this.

[@colin5197]

It quite literally was his choice. Are T1 fans actually this stupid?

[@SDZ675]

Imagine if the LPL paid off the Agent, because they got gatekept hard at worlds by T1