Legacy French esports organization Team LDLC is leaving esports in July, according to an announcement from its ownership group, LDLC Group, and will end its partnership with OL Group, the ownership group of the Ligue 1 team Olympique Lyonnais.
Team LDLC is a French esports organization that has been around since 2010 and had legendary rosters and tournament runs in Counter-Strike. The organization has fielded teams in other esports titles like League of Legends, FIFA and NBA 2K.
The organization announced on May 16 that it is ceasing operations in esports in July through its parent company LDLC Group. The company is a France-based tech-focused online retailer.
“If the teams benefit from a wide reputation and recognition among passionate gamers, they have not – despite the efforts made – managed to find a sufficient place with the general public. Thus, the LDLC Group and OL Groupe have decided in advance to end their LDLC OL partnership from the end of July 2023. The end of this partnership will also mark for LDLC Event its withdrawal from the esports scene and its operational activities in this sector,” the company said.
LDLC and OL Groupe have decided to end their partnership "LDLC OL" as of the end of July 2023.The end of this partnership will also mark LDLC Event's withdrawal from the esport scene.So, the only french org with a french team is leaving CS. French scene is dead for real now.
— neL (@neLendirekt) May 16, 2023
In 2020, the organization partnered with the French football club Olympique Lyonnais, via its ownership group OL Group, and renamed to LDLC OL. It also has a partnership with French former NBA player Tony Parker’s academy program, which ran esports academy teams through the program.
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Team LDLC leaves esports as the industry winter continues
At its competitive esports height, Team LDLC won the 2014 DreamHack Winter Counter-Strike Major and placed in the top eight at ESL One: Cologne and ESL Major Series One Katowice in the same year. The organization is known for launching the career of multiple French Counter-Strike legends like Richard ‘shox’ Papillon, Kenny ‘kennyS’ Schrub and Dan ‘apEX’ Madesclaire.
In League of Legends, the organization appeared at the European Master tournament multiple times, qualifying from the French regional league.
The French organization is another in a line of esports organizations that have gone under or ceased operations in the industry in recent months.
The wider industry is also facing a reduction in terms of spending as organizations pull back on team investment, lay off employees or look to merge with other companies.