T1 Esports is synonymous with the best of the best in League of Legends (LoL) esports, basking in a glorious history of trophies and stomping on the virtual corpses of any who dare oppose them. In S-Tier events, you’ll see this legendary South Korean organization’s iconic red, white, and black color scheme.
Join us as we explore T1 Esports’ history, achievements, and various esports teams. We’ll finish it off with FAQs featuring exciting insights about this organization.
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T1’s History
Considering its birthday of April 13, 2004, T1 is the oldest esports organization competing in top-tier events, with a storied history of championships and dominance. Let’s examine the astounding South Korean organization’s history.
The Creation Of T1 Esports
StarCraft legend Lim “BoxeR” Yo-hwan created the team (4 Union) in 2002, when esports was considered a niche activity. On April 13, 2004, SK Telecom, a top South Korean wireless carrier, sponsored the team with an investment of $2 million. 4 Union was rebranded as SK Telecom T1 (SKT T1) as part of an acquisition that was the biggest in esports history at the time.
Dominance & Rebranding
SK Telecom T1’s League of Legends team debuted at IEM Cologne 2012 and won, beating Fnatic 2-1 in the grand final. This was the start of T1 dominance in LoL. The team won League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) 2015 Spring Split, placed second at the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2015, and then the 2015 World Championship, beating KOO Tigers 3-1 in the grand final.
T1 continued to dominate in 2016, claiming IEM Season X World Championship, LCK 2016 Spring Split, and MSI 2016 trophies before KT Rolster put an end to the winning streak. Then, the squad won the 2016 World Championship, becoming the first team to achieve such a tremendous feat.
On Oct. 8, 2019, SK Telecom T1 was officially rebranded to T1 Esports—or T1 for short. To this day, T1 Esports is still operated by T1 Entertainment & Sports, a joint venture between Comcast Spectacor and SK Telecom.
T1 Esports in 2020 and Beyond
In 2020, the organization added the T1 Challengers team to compete in the LCK Challengers League alongside a Valorant squad. Based in Seoul, South Korea, the primary T1 Esports team continues to shine in the top LoL events.
The team took second place at the 2022 World Championship, with a dramatic 3-2 loss against KING-ZONE DragonX (DRX) in the grand final of the playoffs. They have earned approximately $6.8 million in tournament winnings as of 2023.
T1’s Greatest Accomplishments
Considered one of the first real pro gamers, Lim “BoxeR” Yo-hwan is among the most recognizable names in esports. Dubbed “The Emperor,” he won WCG 2001 and WCG 2002 before creating the StarCraft team that would become T1 Esports.
Since SlayerS_’BoxeR’s era is ancient, we’ll focus on the organization’s most significant accomplishments in League of Legends below.
- 2015 World Championship: First place, beating KOO Tigers 3-1 in the final.
- Mid-Season Invitational 2016: First place, beating CLG 3-0 in the final.
- 2016 World Championship: First place, beating Samsung Galaxy 3-2 in the final.
- Mid-Season Invitational 2017: First place, beating G2 Esports 3-1 in the final.
- 2017 World Championship: Second place, losing to Samsung Galaxy 3-0 in the final.
- LCK Spring 2019: First place, beating Griffin 3-0 in the final.
- LCK Summer 2019: First place, beating Griffin 3-1 in the final.
- LCK Spring 2020: First place, beating Gen.G Esports 3-0 in the final.
- LCK Spring 2022: First place, beating Gen.G Esports 3-1 in the final.
- 2022 World Championship: Second place, losing to DRX 3-2 in the final.
T1’s LoL team is its most accomplished division, and it is clear the squad’s future is as bright and shiny as all the trophies in its cabinet.
T1’s League of Legends Team
T1’s League of Legends division is synonymous with top-tier events, and there’s no squad in the world they cannot beat in the Summoner’s Rift. The team features legendary players, including Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, the GOAT of LoL.
- Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok
- Choi “Zeus” Woo-je
- Moon “Oner” Hyeon-joon
- Lee “Gumayusi” Min-hyeong
- Ryu “Keria” Min-seok
Place your bets on League of Legends esports!
T1’s LoL Challengers Team
In the shadow of Faker and company lives the young T1 Challengers team, a squad showing promise in the 2023 LCK Challengers League regular season.
- Lee “Forest” Hyeon-seo
- Moon “Dal” Jeong-wan
- Lee “Nice” Chan-hyeok
- Yoon “Poby” Seong-won
- Sin “Smash” Geum-jae
- Han “Baut” Jin-sol
T1’s Valorant Team
As a competitor in the 2023 Valorant Champions Tour (VCT), the T1 Valorant squad’s most significant accomplishment thus far is a third-place finish at VCT 2023: Pacific League.
- Joseph “ban” Seungmin Oh
- Son “xeta” Seon-ho
- Byeon “Munchkin” Sang-beom
- Ha “Sayaplayer” Jung-woo
- Lee “Carpe” Jae-hyeok
- Kang “iNTRO” Seung-gyun
Place your bets on Valorant esports!
T1 Esports Content Creators
At the time of writing, T1 only features the three esports divisions mentioned in this article. The T1 Dota 2 squad was disbanded in 2022, with approximate tournament winnings of $1.5 million.
There are several streamers under the T1 banner, including famous esports stars. You’ll find the list of T1 Esports content creators below, including links to their Twitch channels.
- Lim “BoxeR” Yo-Hwan
- Lee “Wolf” Jae-wan
- HAEDORY
- Bae “Bang” Jun-sik
- Lee “Flame” Ho-jong
- Karagii (Carol)
Get to know T1’s content creators today and show your support!
T1 Esports Socials
Find T1’s official website, social media accounts, and video platform channels below:
Are you looking for some gear or apparel in the iconic red, white, and black design? Check out the official T1 store.
FAQs About T1 Esports
Delve into our FAQ section about T1 Esports to discover new insights and details about the beloved organization.
Who Created T1?
Legendary StarCraft player Lim “BoxeR” Yo-Hwan (SlayerS_’BoxeR’) created 4 Union (aka Team Orion) in 2002. The team was officially renamed SK Telecom T1 on April 13, 2004, following a $2 million investment by SK Telecom.
Who Owns T1?
Joe Marsh is the CEO of T1 Entertainment & Sports. This is a global esports joint venture from SK Telecom and Comcast Spectator.
Can I Join T1’s Esports Teams?
Unless you are one of the best esports players in South Korea and T1 scouts you, there is no way to join one of its esports squads.
Is There A T1 CS:GO Team?
Against popular belief, there is no T1 CS:GO division. The CS:GO team you are probably thinking of is Team oNe, a Brazilian esports organization.
Can You Bet On T1 Esports With Crypto?
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