‘League of Legends’ team owner fined for ‘disgraceful’ behavior

A team owner for one of the most successful League of Legends teams in North America has been fined $1,000 for an expletive-filled rant.

On May 27 in the Twitch chat for a popular League of Legends podcast Summoning Insight, Dignitas team owner Michael “ODEE” O’Dell made explicit remarks about his former player and the show’s moderating staff. Screenshots of O’Dell’s remarks then made their rounds on Twitter and Reddit to mixed reactions from fans of the organization.

Though Riot Games, which runs the League Championship Series (LCS), has fined players in the past for reasons ranging from illegal poaching attempts and using foul language of their own, this is the first time a team owner has been fined.  

“We hold LCS owners to the same standards of sportsmanship and respect that we ask from players and consider this a clear infraction of that standard,” Riot said, citing a section of their LCS rulebook that prohibits “immoral” and “disgraceful” behavior.

Screenshots of the conversation are available here. “Patoy” in the logs refers to former Dignitas player Jordan “Patoy” Blackburn while “william turtle” refers to William Turton, a journalist working for the esports news website OnGamers.

Before the fine was issued, O’Dell publicly apologized on Twitter.

I would like to apologise to everyone for my chat comments during last weeks Summoner Insight. I shouldnt have sworn like that, sorry 🙁

— Michael O’Dell (@dignitasODEE) June 3, 2014

O’Dell’s team, Dignitas, currently sit at the top of the standings in the North American LCS with a 5-1 record. 

Screengrab via Riot Games/YouTube