On their official Facebook page, Saigon Buffalo has posted an open listing offering the opportunity to acquire their slot in the VCS. The team plans to exit the VCS during this offseason and is inviting interested parties to contact them regarding a possible purchase.
Citing financial constraints, Saigon Buffalo expressed their intent to transfer the entire team along with their VCS competition rights at a reasonable price, as revealed in their Facebook post via machine translation. They also provided two email addresses for potential buyers to reach out, emphasizing that owning a professional League of Legends team is a substantial multi-million dollar investment, regardless of the region.
Notably, Saigon Buffalo has a rich history of success in the League of Legends scene in Vietnam. Between 2018 and 2023, the team secured four international appearances, including consecutive qualifications for MSI and Worlds in 2022. In the past four seasons, they were one of only two Vietnamese League teams to represent the region internationally, alongside GAM Esports.
Their hopes of representing the VCS at Worlds this season were dashed when they were eliminated from the domestic playoffs by Team Whales, who eventually became the runners-up in Worlds, marking their debut appearance in the tournament.
If Saigon Buffalo proceeds with the sale and a suitable buyer is found before the start of the 2024 VCS season, it’s possible that we may witness the end of “Mr. Buffalo” on the professional League of Legends stage. Any potential new owner would have the opportunity to rebrand the organization, following the tradition commonly associated with team sales.
As for the VCS, this year’s representatives at Worlds, GAM Esports and Team Whales, are set to return to competition when the final tournament of the year commences on October 9th.