MAD Lions allow players to explore options after Worlds 2023 exit
Colin Young-Wolff/Riot GamesMAD Lions management has revealed that its players are exploring the open market after their exit from Worlds 2023.
MAD Lions earned the third seed from the LEC for Worlds 2023 and qualified directly to the Swiss Stage. The team was coming off an up-and-down season that saw them qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational but also place eighth and seventh in the Spring and Summer Seasons, respectively. MAD placed top eight at MSI.
The European team was eliminated on October 26 after losing to Weibo Gaming 2-1 in the fourth round of play.
Now, the organization is looking to overhaul the roster completely. MAD Lions Senior Director of Team Operations Till Werdermann said on social media that the team is exploring options for new players in 2024, and so the current players have been allowed to hit the free market as well.
“MAD is an organization that wants our people to succeed regardless of where they are or what team they play for. Regarding the latest rumors, we are exploring our options. It’s only fair that we allow our people to explore their options as well. We may still find that our best options are each other,” Weredermann said.
MAD Lions starting rebuild after 2023 Worlds exit
Most of MAD’s roster has contracts expiring in 2024 and 2025, except for their jungler Javier ‘Elyoya’ Prades Batalla. His contract is up this year in November.
No MAD Lions players have been linked to other LEC squads, or teams in other regions, as of yet. However, the League of Legends esports off-season is moving fast. Multiple minor league teams have already started making moves and LEC teams are just now starting to move players around.
While teams figure out their rosters for the 2024 season, Worlds 2023 rages on as the bottom teams are being whittled away in the Swiss Stage.
