Riot Games Introduces New Rule to Prevent Conflict of Interest in Esports
Yesterday, Riot Games made a significant move in the esports industry by implementing a new rule that addresses conflicts of interest in sponsorship sales. The rule states that an organization that sells sponsorships for multiple teams and brands is not allowed to own a team or brand.
The Specific Case of Good Game Agency and Alex Garfield
This new rule was put in place to address a specific issue in the League of Legends community involving Good Game Agency and Alex Garfield. Garfield owns the Evil Geniuses and Alliance brands, but Riot Games already has a rule in place that prevents one entity from owning two teams competing in the League Championship Series. However, Garfield still owned the brands and not the teams.
Under the new rule, Garfield had to either stop selling sponsorships or sell off one of his brands. He chose to remove the brands from the league, although Good Game Agency will still work with the two LCS teams to secure their sponsorship deals. Both teams will be rebranded before the next LCS season.
No Conflict of Interest and a Look into the Future
Riot Games wanted to ensure that there is no conflict of interest between different teams, as seen in the recent Expansion Tournament. Garfield had no influence over the management of the two teams, but Riot Games wanted to prevent any potential conflicts from arising in the future. The decision to enforce this rule aligns with Riot Games’ goal of supporting as many teams and players as possible.
This raises important questions for the esports community as a whole, beyond just League of Legends. The lack of a strong governing body in other game communities can lead to similar conflicts of interest. For example, Good Game Agency owns the Evil Geniuses, Alliance, and Dota 2 League brands, posing potential conflicts in the Dota 2 scene.
The Wild West of Esports
The business side of esports is often compared to the wild west, with no central governing body to regulate conflicts and ensure competitive integrity. Even in cases where one powerful entity holds significant influence, disputes can still arise, such as the ongoing ownership dispute in the Call of Duty scene.
Riot Games should be commended for taking steps to maintain competitive integrity, but there is still much work to be done to address conflicts of interest in the vast esports ecosystem.
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