The sponsors are still supporting them. You don't seem to understand, a one bedroom apartment may be pretty miserable living accomodations, but sponsors in north america literally do not provide enough to support a team living in ANY kind of accomodations. It's about the reality that most of the best players in the world are kids with no money, whose parents aren't about to support them to play games. In north america, the amount of money required to provide for 5 people just to have a roof and food above what we consider the poverty line, is more than sponsors are willing to spend.

So you can claim that it's about ambition and whatever, but it's not. It's a matter of economics and practicality. Esports are no different than any other sport. The more money you throw at it, the better your teams will do. That is why the Americans, Russians, and Chinese dominate at the Olympics, plain and simple. Money, not talent. All nations have people capable of top tier talent in any sport or esport. It's about whether that nation is willing to support that talent.

so the part about 12 asian people living in one loft on a diet of ramen, tofu, and UHT milk just flies right over your head huh?

So the part about that still being unafordable for american teams from just sponsor money flies right over your head huh? Any idea how much a loft (and it's unlikely you'd be legally allowed to house 12 people in one loft in north america) costs in a major north american city?

again, we're talking about a 500 sq ft apartment in podunk nebraska, not a 1800 2-level designer penthouse in new york.

you're a moron

Any savings on the real estate in 'podunk nebraska' would be lost on ease and cost of travel in and out of major cities, which is why teams are general based around them. Most importantly, the very important fact that 12 asians living in cramped quarters for horrible pay is not remarkable in that part of the world. It's not how we do things here, and saying that we should if that's what it takes to win is just retarded. We have a different standard of living here, and if sponsors can't support at least a living wage for each player, you just won't see a professional full time team from north america... Which is where Riot comes in, and is WHY Riot is paying the teams next season. It's literally the entire reason, to level the playing field and allow the north american teams to just be professional esports players and nothing else.

You're a child, and I'm done arguing with children =)

"hi i just lost an argument so i'm going to make a statement which has no relevance to it and then make an insult and an exit" -Demothenenenenasnnsss

good work sir, you do the internet proud

Wow just... wow. The educational system is failing. Let's try some simple logic.

Cost of living in North America is higher, no matter how cheaply or how low standard of living you're willing to go, it is not financially feasible (As in, impossible, as in they would starve, run out of money, not be able to pay rent) for 5 people to live on the amount of money sponsors pay these teams. It is not financially possible for them to live just practicing for tournaments.

In Korea, though the standard of living is poor, it is financially possible for them to live for doing nothing other than practicing for tournaments.

again you're making shіt up. no american teams have shown the resolve to live in abject poverty in order to make it happen. and i mean NOT EVEN CLOSE.

show me an american team that's eating ramen and sleeping under his desk in a room with 5 other people. please do that.

until you show me that same drive and dedication you're on the losing side of this argument

Until you move out of your parents house and realize that even living in abject poverty requires some form of income, stop arguing about issues of money on the internet. And also some recognition of the fact that what you call abject poverty may not be far off what a lot of those guys grew up with, and possibly better working conditions than a lot of other jobs for people their age.

oh i'm sorry, here i thought "sponsor" meant "gives people money"

i must have been wrong somewhere in my assumptions...