T1 CEO Continues to Address the Gumayusi – Smash Situation
These days, T1 fans are likely the most anxious and eager for the 2025 Regular Seasons. Not because T1 can compete for a spot at MSI and Worlds or for titles, but because it is probably when the team will announce its official lineup for the upcoming season. However, instead of an official lineup announcement, T1’s CEO recently made new statements about the situation.
Specifically, T1’s X page posted a lengthy letter from CEO Joe Marsh addressing the Gumayusi – Smash issue. However, many viewers quickly realized that the content of these statements… had nothing new, still reiterating that “Gumayusi must compete with Smash” and T1 will proceed for the rest of the season with a six-player roster. However, the CEO also made a subtle remark shifting responsibility to the coaching staff.
Specifically, one line in the CEO’s statement read: “The coaching staff requested Smash’s usage at the LCK Cup, and at that time, he performed well. A quick decision was made right after that.” Additionally, the CEO sparked controversy by stating: “As CEO, I proposed Gumayusi’s inclusion in the starting lineup for the 2025 Regular Seasons.”
This is clearly an unreasonable assertion. Given everything Gumayusi has demonstrated, the starting position should inherently belong to the 2002-born AD Carry. However, the T1 CEO’s claim seems contrary to common sense and has left the fan community feeling upset.
The community continues to debate T1’s new statements surrounding the Gumayusi – Smash drama
Clearly, the fact that a player like Gumayusi must compete for a starting position is already quite perplexing, and now the T1 CEO’s actions of shifting responsibility to the coaching staff and making a controversial assertion about placing Gumayusi in the starting lineup have left the T1 community even more upset. Many opinions have genuinely expressed disappointment while numerous fans assert that this season for T1 looks very bleak.
But now that all decisions have been made, the audience can do nothing more. And T1’s results this season will likely reflect the choices of this team, starting with the lineup of the 2024 Worlds champion.