Why did Zeus leave T1? Contract & player agency drama explained

As a seasoned analyst with years of experience following and dissecting the intricate world of esports, I must say that the recent turn of events surrounding Zeus’ departure from T1 has left me quite perplexed. The contrast between the two narratives presented by T1 and Zeus’ agency is as stark as night and day, which, in my humble opinion, is akin to comparing the bustling streets of Seoul during cherry blossom season with a quiet, peaceful countryside.

Initially, Team 1 had planned to maintain their championship-winning squad for another season, aiming to secure a third consecutive title with what is considered one of the best teams ever constructed. Unexpectedly, Zeus decided to depart from the team and join HLE instead. The specifics regarding his contract termination and the reasons behind his departure from Team 1 remain unclear.

Based on T1’s assertion, it appears that Zeus departing wasn’t just a simple move to seek better opportunities elsewhere. If Zeus had truly wanted to stay with the team, there was a way to make that happen. However, T1 suspects that something underhanded might be happening behind the scenes from The Play, the agency representing him.

The situation for team T1 during the off-season has turned out to be more complicated than expected, as the events unfold, the story becomes increasingly muddled with both T1 and Zeus’ representatives giving different accounts.

Here’s a full explanation of why Zeus left T1 and how it may not have been entirely up to him.

Zeus was weighing his options in the off-season

As per The Play’s announcement, T1’s leading top laner expressed a desire to remain with the team during the off-season, provided the contract terms were favorable. Yet, there was some negotiation between the two parties as they strove to agree on an appropriate figure.

This table outlines the respective date, time, and proposals made during negotiations as documented by The Play.

This table offers a concise overview of the events involving Zeus’ agency and the team, serving as a foundation for further investigation concerning the allegations exchanged by both parties.

T1 CEO calls out Zeus’ player agency

The account of T1 CEO Joe Marsh conflicts with The Play’s schedule in some key ways.

Firstly, he pointed out that Zeus’ representative failed to present any counterproposals throughout the entire negotiation, which contradicts a significant part of the play’s established timeline.

Marsh asserted that the agency, not Hanwha Life Esports, had arbitrarily set the deadline of 3PM on November 19 for the signing of Zeus. He even stated that he reached out to Hanwha Life Esports independently, and they claimed they hadn’t established any deadline for this process.

According to Marsh, the agent created a fictitious deadline, saying it came from HLE. But once Zeus decided to depart, we talked to HLE directly, and they clarified that no such deadline had been set by them at all.

From my perspective, it seems someone might not be honest here. Over the years I’ve come to rely on HLE’s integrity, so I find it disappointing that underhanded methods appear to have influenced this matter. We thought Zeus deserved complete transparency and fairness when making such a crucial decision about his future, but it appears that wasn’t the case.

According to his version of events, he along with T1 made every effort to hold on to Zeus, with him alleging that the agency had obstructed their attempts to keep him. T1 believed he would remain with the team until the 19th and was primarily focused on securing the ideal contract rather than keeping him.

It appears that, from our perspective, Zeus finalized his choice on the initial day of the free agency period. Prior to this day, we had a sense that we were edging towards an accord, but then the atmosphere unexpectedly shifted around midday on that particular day.

Regarding the reactions of other players and the internal team environment, we think it’s best to keep those discussions confidential, as a mark of respect towards all parties concerned.

The Play responds to T1’s accusations about Zeus’ contract

Zeus’ team was quite determined in refuting Marsh’s assertions and even went so far as to label the contract he received in 2023 as “unsuitable.” However, despite this unfavorable evaluation, Marsh opted to remain on the team.

The following quotes are from a fan translation by LCK Subs:

In 2024, Zeus was open to discussing a contract extension with team T1, regardless of whether their offer was less favorable compared to others, if they could guarantee him a reasonable level of acknowledgement and respect commensurate with his past achievements.

Yet, in contrast, the proposal put forth by T1 was deemed unsatisfactory towards Zeus, a team member instrumental in securing two back-to-back World Championship titles. From both the standpoint of the agency and Zeus himself, this proposition was hard to easily agree upon. The Play asserts this stance.

It seems that T1 suggests the proposal indicates the player’s preference for a lengthy contract. However, upon examination of the proposed terms, I find it challenging to concur that such a contract would indeed be advantageous for the player.

The agency clarified that the meeting suggested at 2:10 PM on November 19, which was outlined in The Play’s sequence of events and attached schedule, was never agreed upon by them.

In both 2023 and 2024, the terms of contracts they deemed unacceptable haven’t been disclosed publicly. However, they asserted that the proposal for 2024 was so unfavorable that they chose not to continue negotiations, even though Zeus had expressed a willingness to stay with T1, potentially at a financial loss compared to other deals.

The Production additionally stated that they had set a deadline on the Zeus contract at 3 PM in accordance with their pledge to HLE. They mentioned extending the deadline was done specifically to allow T1 enough time to respond.

The initial deadline for our discussions was moved from 3 PM to 3:30 PM due to Hanwha Life Esports’ request earlier. The reason for this change is that the decision regarding our team’s FA market plans might be influenced by Zeus’ future. As it turns out, Zeus expressed a strong desire to stay with T1, so we asked for extra time to hold further discussions with them online, which eventually led to the extended deadline.

1: The agreement was finalized by 3:30 PM, but the representatives from T1 didn’t show up for their meeting with Zeus until 4 PM. The play suggests that they were unaware that representatives would be coming in person instead of continuing the discussions digitally. They admitted that if the contract hadn’t been signed under HLE’s terms beforehand, Zeus might still be associated with T1.

It turned out unexpectedly that COO Ahn Woong-ki was going to appear in person. If T1 had agreed to the contract terms over the phone before 3:30 PM, it’s likely Zeus would have stayed with T1. However, despite being on their way to meet Zeus, T1 declined the offer related to the contract term.

As a gamer, I’d rephrase it like this: “Even though the talks are over, I (Zeus) had a pleasant meeting with the T1 crew who dropped by at around 4 PM. We parted on a high note, exchanging words of encouragement. There seems to be some confusion about whether I met with T1’s higher-ups; let me clarify that this is indeed true.

It’s important to mention that Hanwha Life Esports has chosen not to speak out about their role in the team roster change, neither confirming nor denying their participation from either perspective.

Zeus speaks out on T1 contract drama

So, what does Zeus have to say about all this?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 우제 (@godthunderzeus)

His statement was translated by a fan on Reddit, and that translation reads as follows:

Yesterday, FA was announced ahead of schedule, leaving me unable to greet you as I had planned, which wasn’t part of my original intention. I apologize for this unexpected turn of events. I joined the team as a trainee in 2019 and have been fortunate enough to play alongside incredible seniors until now. I am deeply grateful to ONER Hyeonjun hyung, who has been by my side since my training days, FAKER Sanghyeok hyung, from whom I’ve learned so much, GUMAYUSI Minhyung hyung, who always boosted my spirits, KERIA Minseok hyung, who helped me feel at ease on the field, and the team that trusted in me and provided me with this opportunity.

As a proud member of T1, I’ve cherished every moment of the unparalleled love and support you’ve shown me. It’s with a heavy heart that I find myself parting ways unexpectedly, despite the boundless affection I’ve received. I’m still in disbelief, but I can’t help but feel sorry for any shock this abrupt departure might have caused among the fanbase.

I’m incredibly thankful to my manager, who has consistently looked after me so well, as well as our team leader. I mustn’t forget to express gratitude towards Woongki-nim (T1 COO). Additionally, I owe a debt of thanks to the coaches who have continually supported me by having faith in my abilities and providing opportunities for my growth.

Since I’ve gained a lot from my time with T1, I aim to learn from my mistakes and grow into a player capable of continuing to develop on new teams. Thanks for taking the time to read my thoughts.

He thanked his teammates in the same sort of fashion you’d expect from any player leaving a roster they had such a historic run with, but there’s not much in here that sheds light on the situation.

It seems that since T1’s CEO, Joe Marsh, has chosen not to discuss the off-season contract disputes in public, The Play has already shared their perspective, and Zeus has closed the matter, it appears that the subject will remain silent for the time being.

Given the significant differences in the portrayals of how Zeus’ contract was managed in T1 and The Play, it’s plausible that one or both parties might opt for a legal resolution to address these discrepancies.

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2024-11-23 19:49