Digital marketplace and elo boost services provider G2A is asking players and fans to “share their reactions, opinions and personal experiences of the outcome” online after Riot banned it as a LoL team sponsor.
G2A got into trouble with the League of Legends developer over a listing on its site promoting services from a third party that sells game accounts and offers elo boosting services, both of which violate the Riot terms of service and LCS rules, reports The Daily Dot.
“We’ve already formally banned them as a sponsor as of September 18th, and have no plans to reconsider the decision at this time,” said RiotSargonas on Reddit.
Teams sponsored by G2A, including Cloud 9, CLG, H2K and paiN Gaming have removed G2A’s logos from their clothing and merchandise at Worlds 2015 (see paiN Gaming’s tweaked jerseys in the image above).
G2A has now hit back at Riot. In a statement, it said: “Investing over $6m in eSport sponsorship since 2014, G2A remains committed to working with partners to empower the eSport industry and resolve to reach win-win solutions for all interested and invested parties.
“It regrets the impact this decision will have on its valued e-sports partners, players and fans and encourages them to share their reactions, opinions and personal experiences of the outcome online.
“G2A wants you to know that we will open communications on social media channels including Facebook page: g2aesportbreakingnews, if eSporters need to talk to us about the impact this will have on them and others. Tell us your feelings, and we will try in whatever way we can to make things better,” added G2A eSport Manager Josh Cabrera.
He added: “That’s our G2A promise to all the entire eSports community. We hope that we can count on your support for G2A. Together, G2A and e-sporters can build eSports into something awesome.”
What do you think, was Riot right to ban G2A logos from teams during Worlds?
Image source: Reddit user /r/zeter, as tweeted by Jacob Wolf
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
