According to a Sports Business Journal article from March 30 that claims the company is preparing to put all of its competitive gaming initiatives on hold, the future of TSM’s esports section is in peril. TSM’s founder affirms that the company is still following through with its intention to reenter an illustrious esport, even though this may spell the end for its existing initiatives, including its flagship LCS programme.
In response to the SBJ report, TSM founder and CEO Andy “Reginald” Dinh reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to esports and confirmed that the organization is still planning to enter CS:GO this year, with “a larger investment than all of the games we’ve left combined.”
Back in October 2022, then president of esports Dominic Kallas announced that “TSM will be returning to CS:GO” in 2023, and included that the organization felt it could be successful with a European roster.
However, a lot has changed from that announcement leading up to yesterday’s report from the SBJ. Less than two months after that announcement, TSM’s 10-year, $210 million naming rights deal with cryptocurrency exchange FTX fell through when the cryptocurrency exchange filed for bankruptcy. While many esports organizations have faced financial adversity in the current economic climate, SBJ reporter Kevin Hitt noted in his report that “TSM took a big financial hit” when that deal ended prematurely.
Additionally, Dominic Kallas and the organization parted ways at the beginning of March, TSM’s COO Walter Wang also left the organization during March, and the organization parted ways with its Rainbow Six: Siege division this past February, just one year after lifting the world championship trophy at the Six Invitational.
While Reginald maintains that TSM is committed to returning to Counter-Strike, he doesn’t specifically deny that the organization could leave other esports in the near future, saying TSM “will continue to enter & exit games.”
Update April 1 2:50pm CT: The article’s title and content has been amended to reflect Reginald’s statement following the SBJ report.