Here’s a lesson for aspiring esports organisations - if you want to grow a following of loyal fans, your public image is very important. Stories of goodwill towards players, competitors, staff, and fans will often portray you as one of the “good guys” compared to other teams, and PR goes a long way.

It doesn’t even have to be true. Case in point - GamerLegion.

An HLTV report - which you should absolutely read btw, it’s fantastic work from Luis Mira - from earlier this week paints a grim picture from inside the GamerLegion camp. The deep dive collects statements from several former employees and players, and well… where do we start?

Bullying and sexual misconduct seem to have been constant inside the organisation. Salary payments were frequently very delayed, and the players ended up in hostile contractual disputes over sticker money.

The latter apparently got so bad at the height of the Paris Major that the players seriously considered forfeiting the grand final in protest. Granted, it wouldn’t exactly have changed the outcome, but can you imagine what a shambles it would have been if they had never even joined the server?

In all seriousness, this is a story you never want to hear in esports, although it is unfortunately all too common. But let us stress again - they were the good guys.

The GamerLegion we knew last week was always a scrappy underdog, punching well above their weight, time and time again. A team with a passion for developing younger talent, being the first real home for many of the players that today fill our upper echelons.

Now we find out they cared so much about their academy team, they didn’t even pay their salaries half the time.

It’s disgraceful, and we’re glad it’s out in the open.