Faker is the brand, the image of T1
In the world of League of Legends and Esports in general, the brand Faker can be said to hold the highest value. After more than 11 years since his debut in League of Legends, Faker has become one of the most famous Esports players in the world today. In 2020, South Korean media ranked Faker among the “Four Great National Treasures,” alongside many other prominent names. Foreign news outlets and magazines have often likened Faker to the “Messi of football” or the “Michael Jordan of basketball.”
As the first player to be inducted into the Hall of Legends by Riot, and having recently solidified his title as the “Greatest League of Legends Player of All Time” after winning the Worlds 2024 championship, Faker’s image and brand value have skyrocketed. Faker himself has also shown a strong connection with T1, as he holds shares in this team. His social media accounts are managed by the T1 team, with Faker’s Instagram account reaching over 1.8 million followers – making him the League of Legends player with the highest follower count in the world.
Some brands that Faker collaborates with include Nike, Samsung, Razer, Red Bull, and Creative Artists Agency. These sponsorship deals bring Faker over 3 million USD per year (as of 2023) and translate into substantial sums for T1.
Any infringement of Faker’s image is strictly prohibited
In May 2020, according to information from Bizhankook, on April 13, T1 officially filed a trademark application for the brand Faker/페이커 for player Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, belonging to the T1 League of Legends team with the Korean Intellectual Property Office. This means that as long as Faker is under contract with T1, or remains a member of T1, this team owns all elements related to the Faker brand, from images to clips… of the “G.O.A.T.”
Therefore, any actions exploiting Faker will have to go through T1. This is also a way for the team to control any negative images of Faker (if any). For instance, during the Summer 2024 split, when Faker exhibited negative behavior after a loss to Gen.G, T1 immediately issued a statement requesting the cessation of the spread of that clip. If similar actions occur afterward, T1 could potentially take legal action, regardless of who the individuals or groups involved are.
For players like Faker, image issues are crucial. T1 certainly does not want anything to happen that could affect their “national treasure.”