New Owner for Renegades: Boston Celtics NBA Player Jonas Jerebko Takes Over
Renegades, the esports organization known for its Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) team, has been sold to Boston Celtics NBA player Jonas Jerebko, he announced today.
Turbulent First Year
Renegades, originally founded in March 2015 as the League Challenger Series team Misfits, faced accusations of mismanagement from other teams and Riot Games. The organization’s owner, Chris Badawi, was banned by Riot last year, which led to the decision to sell the League team.
Controversial Bans and Violations
Riot Games handed down a ruling against Renegades after the Spring Split this year, stating that they had violated the ban against Badawi, misrepresented their relationship with another League team, and compromised player welfare and safety. Badawi was given a lifetime ban from the LCS, and co-owner Christopher “MonteCristo” Mykles received a year-long ban.
Renegades Looking to Sell
With their reputation in League damaged, rumors circulated that Renegades was planning to sell. Jerebko, who has been researching the esports scene for over a year, saw an opportunity and decided to invest in Renegades.
Bringing Stability and Structure
Jerebko hopes to bring stability and structure to Renegades. While keeping the CS:GO team and support staff, he has replaced all other staff members. The organization’s name and logo will remain the same, but with a slightly updated style.
“It was the CS:GO team that made us want to buy Renegades at first,” Jerebko explained. “We would never have bought it without the opportunity to keep the team.”
Focus on Players and Management
Jerebko plans to focus on the players and management to show how Renegades has changed. He wants to ensure that players are paid and that the organization is properly structured.
Expanding the Organization Slowly
Jerebko is not in a rush to expand Renegades too quickly. He has already picked up a Call of Duty team and is working on getting an Overwatch team. He wants to set an example of how the organization is run now and then carefully select teams based on their skill.
As for the Cloud9 Challenger LCS spot, Jerebko says, “We’ll assess the opportunities as they come and grow this organically. We’re not going to force ourselves.”
Jerebko plans to attend esports events in the future and is looking forward to getting involved in the Fox and O’Neal rivalry.
“I’m looking to come and beat both of them,” he said with a laugh.