Karmine Corp will be bringing its iconic community to the LEC next season.
LFL royalty known as Karmine Corp has officially taken over the LEC spot of Astralis. The two-time LFL champions will make its debut in the 2024 LEC Winter Split to pair itself with some of the biggest teams in the region. League of Legends fans in the EMEA will be familiar with the fan-favourite org that made its debut in the LFL just two years ago.
KC's dominance in the EMEA scene cannot go unnoticed in the LEC, especially considering that the organisation is less than five years old. Founded in March 2020 by popular streamers Kamel 'Kameto' Kebir and Zouhair 'Kotei' Darji, KC's ascension to being household names in the French league took just three years that included two LFL regional titles as well as four EMEA Masters trophies.
Aside from being one of the best teams in the EMEA, KC also boasts a spectacular French fanbase that was most evident during the 2023 LEC Season Finals in the Sud de France Arena in Montpellier. Mostly known as 'the blue wall', the KC fanbase is second to none when it comes to showcasing the love and passion they have for the org.
However, with every new introduction into the LEC, we will have to bid farewell to another and in this instance, it will be Astralis. The Danish org was formed in 2018 after it acquired Origen as a full rebrand came into play in 2020. And after just three years, Astralis has officially left the LEC that featured a mixed bag of performances. This year was no different as Astralis failed to gain enough Championship Points to secure a spot in the 2023 LEC Season Finals, which was probably the straw that broke the camel's back.
"Astralis has been a valued partner to us throughout its time in the LEC, and we wish the organisation the very best with its future endeavours. But we know its spot will be in capable hands with Karmine Corp. LEC fans have wanted to see the team in the league for some time now, which is in part, due to the incredible strength of the organisation's brand and its loyal and passionate fan base, something that has been showcased since its entry into the EMEA Masters ecosystem. We also know how locally resonant the organisation is in France - a country that is a major force in EMEA LoL Esports – and 2024 will be the season we find out whether that ERL dominance translates to the LEC stage."
Maximilian Peter Schmidt, Director of League of Legends Esports EMEA at Riot Games
In the official announcement, it was also mentioned that all the players from Astralis will officially be free agents from the start of the upcoming off-season, which is set to begin once Worlds 2023 ends. It was also announced that KC's inclusion into the LEC, this does not mean that it will be leaving the LFL. Instead, KC will field its academy squad as part of its LFL roster to help focus, develop, and nurture emerging talents.
And while many will look forward to KC's debut in the LEC next season, it is worth noting that the org has been trying to enter the league since last year. Unfortunately, they had not met the requirements at that time. According to Riot Games, the LEC "conducts a detailed review into any prospective partnered teams’ ownership group, brand and fandom, business history and objectives, as well as their approach to player development and performance. Based on this criteria, teams are either vetoed or can progress to finalise negotiations with the selling team."
As for the reason why KC was finally chosen as Astralis' replacement, Riot had this to say: "The selling team (Astralis) has the final say on which team their spot is sold to, as long as the purchasing team fits Riot’s criteria for a partnered organisation. The LEC works closely with both the selling team and applicants throughout the selling process and reserves the right to veto applicants on evaluation of various aspects of their application. But, the final decision is made by the selling and purchasing organisations."
