Italy’s oldest active soccer club, Genoa C.F.C., has announced its entry into esports with the game League of Legends. This partnership with Italian multi-game organization TeS Gaming makes Genoa the first Italian sports club to compete in a top-tier esports title.
The club has also signed Richard “Masinho” Masoni, a 16-year-old FIFA player.
However, Genoa’s chances of making an impact on the international stage of League of Legends are slim. The team consists of unknown players and is not competing in any renowned league.
The League of Legends team and Masinho will have their first opportunity to represent Genoa at a domestic comic and games convention called The Torino Comics, which will take place from April 21 to 23.
The trend of sports clubs entering esports remains strong, with brands like Spartak Moscow, AS Roma, NYC FC, and FC Anji all joining the space in recent weeks. However, it is disappointing to see clubs like Genoa only taking small risks by signing FIFA players and amateur teams.
Nevertheless, it would be great to see more clubs fully commit to esports, following the example of FC Schalke 04, which has remained dedicated even in the face of disappointment. The club did not qualify for the EU LCS, but is holding onto its Challenger spot to try again.
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