Riot Games to Encourage Sustainability in VALORANT by Reducing Player Salaries
In order to ensure long-term growth in the international VCT leagues, both Riot Games and VALORANT teams are making efforts to scale back player salaries and adopt a more sustainable approach starting from the next season.
A report by George Geddes for win.gg reveals that several organizations competing in the VCT Americas league plan to reduce spending and player salaries for the 2024 season. This includes teams like 100 Thieves and Cloud9, who missed out on Master Tokyo and Champions. Other organizations are also likely to follow suit.
According to the report, North American player salaries before the partnership era ranged from $20,000 to $30,000 per month. Although specific numbers of current player salaries are not known, speculations suggest that some players are earning even higher amounts. In an interview, Evil Geniuses coach Christine “potter” Chi mentioned that C9 was paying superstar Jaccob “yay” Whiteaker approximately $60,000 per month at one point. Giants’ Emir “rhyme” Muminovic also claimed that players in North America were earning “five times” more than players in EMEA.
Starting next year, teams like 100 Thieves and Cloud9 may offer players the league minimum salary, which currently stands at $50,000 per year for the Americas. However, teams will continue to provide essential needs like housing in order to make up for the reduced salaries. A recent study revealed that an individual living in Los Angeles would need to earn $76,710 after taxes to live comfortably.
The focus on sustainability and cost reduction has been prominent in esports discussions over the past year. VALORANT, in particular, has been at the forefront of this discussion, especially in relation to its tier-two scene. Even top-tier teams like Sentinels have expressed concerns about securing more funding to sustain themselves in the long run.
Organizations within the tier-one VCT ecosystem are relying on increased sponsorship opportunities and the release of team-branded in-game items to help alleviate the operational costs of running a team.
Riot Games, VALORANT, player salaries, VCT leagues, sustainability, reduced spending, sponsorship opportunities, team-branded in-game items.