"On Sunday, the sparkling Chinese city of Chengdu will become a battleground for one of the gaming business's biggest showdowns to date. Following a rollicking ride through the semi-finals, T1 and KT Rolster, "League of Legends" teams backed by South Korean telecom giants, are set to face off on the rift for a world finals best-of-five. The stakes: a championship prize pot, millions of dollars in revenue, and a battle for legacy."
"The hot game at the time was "Starcraft," and both telecom giants threw big money into building teams that faced off repeatedly in a decadeslong rivalry. The "telecom war" escalated when both telecoms formed "League" squads. SK Telecom debuted the then-rookie mid-laner, Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok, at a 2013 match in Seoul. The rest is history. Lee led his team to a record five Worlds title wins in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, and 2024. He is now a part-owner of T1."
On Sunday in Chengdu, T1 and KT Rolster will compete in the League of Legends world finals in a best-of-five match. The matchup features teams backed by rival South Korean telecom giants, with a championship prize pot, millions in related revenue, and significant legacy implications. League of Legends is a five-on-five game on Summoner’s Rift where teams destroy turrets and the opposing nexus. The telecom rivalry began with early-2000s Starcraft investments and later intensified when both firms formed League squads. SK Telecom introduced Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, who led T1 to five Worlds titles and is now part-owner; T1 returns to its fourth straight final while KT seeks its first Worlds crown.
Read at Business Insider
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