Game Over for LDLC in Esports! Historic French Club’s Legacy Comes to a Close as Olympique Lyonnais Partnership Expires! »
The axe fell on July 31st, just as the organization had announced in a statement that had caught everyone by surprise in mid-May. This Monday, LDLC OL ceased its activities in esports, marking the end of the partnership that connected them to Olympique Lyonnais. The history will probably not remember that the team’s last match was a minor defeat in the French League of Legends against Solary on Thursday. However, it will remember the rest: the unmatched expertise and record of achievements in France by the Lyon-based club, which had been one of the pioneers of esports in the country.
La fin du Summer sonne aussi la fin de notre équipe.
— LDLC OL 🦊 (@LDLC_OL) July 27, 2023
Notre histoire en #LFL se termine ce soir mais nous laissons dernière nous de nombreux records et titres à battre !
Merci à @KryzeLoL, @whiteakitout, @backlundlol, @Jesklaa, @Zoelys_LoL, @HansenLoL, @Hairost et… pic.twitter.com/RPpE5u3gvo
The origin of it all can be traced back to its inception.
The LDLC Team was founded in 2010, at a time when esports was still relatively unknown. It was the joint effort of founders Anthony Rabby and Stéphan Euthine, who steered the club throughout its journey. Since 2020, the organization had seamlessly partnered with Olympique Lyonnais, borrowing its name for almost three years. However, the acquisition of OL Groupe by American investor John Textor, who chose to refocus on the men’s football club, hastened the end of the project.
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3 ans qui se terminent. D’ici fin juillet, LDLC OL c’est terminé et mon boulot aussi. On est tous pris de court..
— Laura - Ori (@0rigy) May 16, 2023
Puis statut free lance, donc pas de chômage, va falloir se relever fast
Ce soir, il pleut https://t.co/xHAf4uivKb pic.twitter.com/aHaYDpGJIu
Despite their significant popularity and recognition among passionate gamers, these teams have struggled to gain sufficient attention from the general public, despite their efforts, » both parties explained in their statement as justification. Like many other esports organizations, LDLC OL has ultimately been affected by the current economic challenges in the industry and the increasingly fierce competition from influencer-driven clubs, which attract sponsors and audiences alike.
La fin d'une belle histoire, même si j'aurais aimé clôturer cette aventure sur une meilleure note. Merci à tous les joueurs qui ont permis à notre structure d'avoir 5 titres de champions de LFL 💙💙 https://t.co/9p8Z0d6dQr
— Anthony (@Martypnp) July 27, 2023
The First French Counter-Strike Major
Over its 13 years of existence, the Lyon-based team gradually solidified its position as a pivotal player in the discipline, achieving unparalleled success in France. It was in Counter-Strike, the game of its inception, that the team experienced its most remarkable moments. Enlisting some of the greatest French players of the early Global Offensive era, from Richard « shox » Papillon to Dan « apEX » Madesclaire, LDLC amassed numerous trophies (MLG X Games 2015, StarLadder Series XI, two Paris Games Week titles). Their crowning achievement came with the victory at DreamHack Winter 2014, the first Major in history won by a French lineup.
In League of Legends, LDLC’s other beloved game, their achievements never reached the same intercontinental scale. Nevertheless, their record remains impressive: three Lyon E-Sport titles, a European Masters victory in the spring of 2020, and most notably, five LFL championships, including the three most recent ones, setting an absolute record. Additionally, the organization boasts numerous trophies in other games like FIFA, WRC, and NBA 2K, where they were actively engaged until July.
Towards the End of the TPAA
Mais si LDLC a marqué les esprits, c’est aussi par la qualité de sa formation. Centre de détection hors pair, le club n’a eu de cesse de dénicher des talents (Aslan « White » Panglose ou Thomas « Exakick » Foucou encore récemment sur LoL, Alexandre « bodyy » Pianaro ou Nicolas « Keoz » Dgus sur Counter-Strike) et de les mener vers le plus haut niveau, notamment via la TPAA, la Tony Parker Adequat Academy. Un modèle d’esport-études précurseur, permettant de cumuler le lycée et les compétitions, qui devrait également disparaître prochainement.
Nous y sommes, @LDLC_OL le 31 juillet 2023. La fin de saison LFL pour l'équipe LoL sonne la fin opérationnelle d'un projet incroyable. Beaucoup de tristesse pour toute l'équipe ses derniers mois. Merci à tous ceux qui nous ont permis d'en arriver là au bout de 13 ans !
— Stephan EUTHINE (@seuthine) July 31, 2023
Farewell to a Legend: French Esports Community Pays Tribute to LDLC. Following the club’s announcement of closure, a significant portion of the French esports community has commended the organization for its remarkable accomplishments during its years of prominence. Stéphan Euthine, LDLC’s esports director, expressed his feelings on Twitter, stating, ‘The end of the LFL season for the LoL team marks the operational conclusion of an incredible project. There is much sadness for the entire team in these recent months. Thank you to everyone who helped us reach this point after 13 years
