Times are tough right now, particularly in a financial sense. Recently, due to the difficulties of running a football club in this economic climate, Schalke 04 has been rumoured to be looking to sell its League of Legends European Championship slot, and to address those rumours Chief Gaming Officer & Managing Director at Schalke 04 Esports Tim "Burke" Reichert and Managing Director Claudio Kasper have prepared a statement.
"For those of you that are unaware, the corona situation has heavily affected sports clubs globally, as fans being unable to go to the stadium means that a main driver or revenue is missing as of right now. Additionally, we're currently in one of the most difficult times since the existence of the football club in terms of competitive success in the Bundesliga, being in the standings.
Due to having to face a possible relegation to the 3nd Bundesliga and not knowing when fans will be able to come back to the stadium, the club needs to look into all options to secure additional funding.
We're currently in the process of evaluating different options that the club can take depending on the circumstances it'll find itself in by the end of the Bundesliga season. This includes, but is not limited to, selling the LEC slot to an interested buyer. However, no decision has been made as of right now, and the club getting relegated doesn't necessarily force us to sell the slot.
It's important to note that the club does not want or have to sell the LEC slot, as everyone has seen the incredible growth and long-term benefits of being able to compete in the incredible league. But there are possible future scenarios in which this move would be necessary to strengthen the core business football and we have to be prepared for that."
Hopefully this does mean that Schalke 04 doesn't have to sell its LEC slot, but as more unfolds, we'll be sure to keep you posted.
