Chinese esports organization Newbee announced it will not be competing in the 2018 Tencent League of Legends Pro League (LPL) and that the squad has "disbanded," according to Graham Ashton of THE ESPORTS OBSERVER. It is the first LoL team in the region to "publicly confirm it will not be participating in the franchised LPL next year, which will get rid of relegation and promotion and expand its team list from 12 to 14."
In addition to a tweet, Newbee published a statement on its Weibo page "following heavy speculation from the community and a continued silence from Riot Games." Though it is "highly likely" that Newbee's franchise application was rejected, Newbee did not state the exact reasons why it was "bowing out" of China's LoL scene. Even though the LPL announced its franchising plans a month before its North American counterpart, "little is still known about when or how the LPL will transition into a franchised model" (
THE ESPORTS OBSERVER, 12/22).
A-LEAGUE GAMING: FOX SPORTS' Max Laughton reported the A-League is "spreading its wings into esports," with each club set to compete in a new FIFA video game league in '18. The e-League will see two players represent each A-League side in the football game, "with each club playing each other once before a tournament-style final event." It will run alongside the last nine rounds of the A-League season, beginning on Feb. 1 (FOX SPORTS, 12/21).
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