Danish esports organization North shut down by F.C. Copenhagen

Danish esports organization North will cease operations, according to an announcement made by co-founding entities Parken Sport & Entertainment and Nordisk Film.

North have had a tough time in the past year or so, struggling to redeem themselves from an ill-received rebrand that was meant to reposition them for more success in the future.

The decision was made by Parken Sport & Entertainment, the company behind Danish football club F.C. Copenhagen, and entertainment company Nordisk Film.

They cited the global health situation’s effect on the esports industry as a significant reason behind the closure of the organization. Despite events moving online, restrictions on travel and hosting events have created a tough climate for many companies to operate within.

With resources dwindling, Parken Sport & Entertainment and Nordisk Film claim that they were unsuccessful in their search for new investors to get involved with North.

• Read More: Why do esports organizations keep rebranding?

“We have searched the market to get one or more co-investors on board the project, but have unfortunately not found the right match,” said Lars Bo Jeppesen, North’s chairman, in a translated statement. “It will require significant continued investment to create a sustainable business in the future and therefore we believe that the sole responsibility for our overall business is to focus all our focus on our core business in FC Copenhagen, Parken and Lalandia, just as Nordisk Film will focus on its large core and growth businesses.”

While North’s teams in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Apex Legend will have to find new homes, F.C. Copenhagen will assume control over the organization’s FIFA players. The club competes in the eSuperliga, the esports counterpart of Denmark’s top flight on football.

North was established in January 2017 when the founding members signed a CS:GO roster, one that had impressed globally just months prior. In recent times, they’ve had a turbulent experience in their main title — towards the end of 2020, they released two of their flagship players, namely MSL and aizy.

In October 2020, the organization partnered with analytics company YouGov to become an esports “powerhouse.” They were hoping to improve their market positioning, and thus revenue generation, through the deal.

They had commercial relationships with the likes of energy drink brand Nocco, audio brand EPOS, computer manufacturer MM Vision, and technology company Capgemini prior to ceasing operations.