It’s been a turbulent off-season for the LCS already, with buyout rumors and roster changes flying left and right. However, FlyQuest have gained some footing thanks to being acquired by the Viola family.
FlyQuest may not have made it far in the 2022 Playoffs, but they had their fair share of standout performances through the year. This team is very much centered around developing new talent, and now, they’ve got a lot more financial backing to do so.
The Viola family own Sunrise Sports & Entertainment, the parent company for the Florida Panthers, Florida’s NHL team. And now, they own FlyQuest, too.
FlyQuest have been acquired and are looking toward the future
As an organization, FlyQuest doesn’t have the same reach as some other organizations in the LCS. While they do have signed players for Super Smash Bros. Melee, they’re known as a League of Legends organization.
But now, after being acquired by the Viola family, they’re looking forward to a “bright future” according to Michael Viola, president of the Viola family office. He went on to say a bit more about the process of acquiring FlyQuest.
“We’re thankful to the Edens family, LCS Commissioner Jackie Felling, Riot Games, and FlyQuest CEO Michael Choi for their support and energy throughout this entire process”.
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Michael Choi will remain the CEO of FlyQuest, and had his own thoughts on the future of the organization: “I believe we’ll be able to usher in a new era for FlyQuest, one that furthers our mission of Showcasing Greatness, both competitively and in the way we serve the greater good.”
We are joining forces with @FlyQuest on their #GoGreen Initiative this weekend! 🌱🌺For each in-game kill, we'll plant a tree! 🌲For every Cloud Drake, we'll plant 10 trees! 🌲🌲For a win, we'll plant 100 TREES! 🌲🌲🌲Read more about #TreeQuest: https://t.co/Ds6MbHLTWS pic.twitter.com/9lObGybhkz
— Cloud9 (@Cloud9) February 7, 2020
FlyQuest have long had an identity focused around growth for their players and the planet, and have even gotten other organizations involved in their GoGreen Initiative in the past.
After a great deal of off season speculation as to whether or not any LCS organizations would be bought out of the league, FlyQuest have now cemented their spot in the LCS with this announcement.
FlyQuest made it to the LCS Summer Finals in 2020 and represented NA at Worlds the same year. With this announcement, they’ll be looking to develop their 2023 roster into a team that’s ready to compete internationally.