After the removal of Echo Fox from the LCS, Riot Games will open a 30-day application process to decide who will be taking the vacant slot in the league.
“We’ll be using an expedited process similar to the 2017 system that we used to select our initial long-term partners,” LCS commissioner Chris Greeley said. “We will focus on evaluating each applicant’s ownership profile, brand strategy, business plan, and team operational plan.”
The LCS and Echo Fox both agreed to a termination of the team’s participation in the league on Aug. 13. The LCS will now have to sell the open spot in the league, while also giving the bulk of the proceeds from the sale to Echo Fox.
In July, there were reports that claimed Kroenke Sports & Entertainment—the parent company of the Los Angeles Gladiators—had bought the spot from Echo Fox for $30.25 million. But those talks broke down and the sale didn’t go through after Sentinels’ CEO Robert Moore reportedly filed a lawsuit against Kroenke.
Greeley said that he plans to have this new organization join the LCS before the 2020 season. It shouldn’t be too much of a problem, though, especially with how many teams applied for franchising at the beginning of 2018.
