LPL Media Reveals “Outrageous” Salary of a Superstar Player
The LPL has begun implementing a salary cap, coupled with the lackluster international performance over the years, which has significantly impacted the League of Legends scene in the region. However, some players still command astronomical salaries, notably Knight, the Mid Laner for Bilibili Gaming.
According to LPL media reports, Knight’s current salary is the highest in the entire professional League of Legends scene in China. At the same time, his salary is equivalent to the total salary fund of at least five teams combined in the LPL. This information has sparked quite a heated debate within the Chinese League of Legends community.
“In the current LPL, considering talent, professionalism, or contribution, few can compare to Knight, so this salary is reasonable,” one spectator remarked. However, another opinion stated: “Knight has no impressive accomplishments on the international stage, except for one MSI last year. What about Xiaohu?”
In fact, the former JDG manager revealed that he once offered Knight a salary of 46 million CNY over three years (approximately 6 million USD – 161 billion VND) in 2021. Of course, this salary for superstar players is not entirely unreasonable. However, given the context of the LPL needing to “tighten its belt,” this figure is indeed noteworthy. Furthermore, in 2021, Knight was merely a good player, with no achievements in his career at that time.
LPL at Risk of Collapse
From Knight’s salary, it is evident that there is a significant disparity between top teams and the rest of the LPL. In the recent transfer window, three LPL teams applied for dissolution, with Rare Atom already “disappearing”.
Recent transfer news from the LPL also carries a bleak tone. They continue to revolve around the same familiar faces. The lack of a successor generation is one issue, and the LPL is also failing to attract quality foreign players. Perhaps, if the Peyz – JDG deal goes through, the former Gen.G star will be the best foreign player in the LPL during this transfer window.
But the problem is: Peyz could not hold his ground in the LCK, which is why he had to move to the LPL. Thus, the question arises: how will the LPL compete with the LCK when their best foreign player in the last three years – Ruler has returned home, and Scout is hit or miss?
LPL teams are still following a routine: spending money for 1-2 seasons to chase titles, and if they fail, tearing it down to rebuild. With no successor generation, the possibility that the LPL may collapse after a series of failed gambles is a very real scenario for the future.