The Collapse of TSM the Face of North American League of Legends

TSM was the face of North American League of Legends from its inception. Off the backs of outspoken personalities, TSM dominated the league in both results and fandom. The org came away with seven LCS titles nearly double that of the second most. Not only were they winning titles every year but they housed the biggest names in North America. With Dyrus and Oddone paving the way then Bjergsen and Doublelift after, TSM would hold some of the largest names North America had to offer. Creating the biggest fanbase in the LCS with TSM chants reverberating at every event and game whether they were there or not. How then are they now at the bottom of the LCS more than halfway through the split? How has TSM, the greatest org in LCS history, collapsed to the bottom of the league?

The Peak

In the summer of 2016, TSM finished the round-robin with a 17-1 record. They had a superstar lineup with Bjergsen winning MVP in the middle lane and leading the league with 11 player of the games. In tandem with other LCS superstar Doublelift on ADC, they proved to have the most firepower of any team in North America. This combined with incredible players Haunzter in the toplane and Svenskerin in the Jungle. Rookie of the split Biofrost would round out their roster. They had a strong coach in former analyst Parth who had long been with the org and meshed well with the players. They of course had the large pockets of the owner of TSM Andy (Reginald) Dinh. This team looked unstoppable and was touted as the greatest team NA had ever produced.

At Worlds, TSM would impress with a big win over the Korean team SSG and finish week one with a record of 2-1. They would need at least another victory over either SSG or RNG to advance to playoffs with their best shot coming in their first game of week two. After winning a strong team fight to begin coming back Doublelift would commit a huge mistake and push to finish the SSG mid laner Crown leading to the infamous play that would cost them the game. While this play did not single-handedly cost them their spot in the playoffs it can be seen as the moment before the closest TSM would get to a Worlds title to this day. After losing this game TSM would lose to RNG as well and be eliminated from worlds.

Plateauing

The following year would start with star Doublelift taking a break for the spring split electing to stream during this time. This was to the dismay of his teammates such as Bjergsen who believed that this break was Doublelift showing a lack of commitment to the team. TSM would bring back Wildturtle and win another split but fail to get out of group play at MSI. Doublelift would return during the Summer Split. TSM would again dominate the playoffs and make it to worlds as the number one team from North America. They would get lucky getting put in the group dubbed the group of life. They were in the only group without a powerhouse Korean team. It was seen as an easy path to the playoffs. TSM would play it close and on the final day would lose a tiebreaker to the Europeans Misfits failing to make playoffs again.

Descent

Following another disappointing Worlds appearance, TSM over the next two and a half years would be marred by a string of inconsistencies and roster changes. Roster changes included the departure of Star ADC Doublelift, Jungler Svenskeren, and Biofrost in 2018. They would bring in other big names such as EU powerhouse duo Zven and Mithy but would continue to struggle. In 2019 they would see the departure of top laner Hauntzer leaving Bjergsen the sole remaining member from the 2016 squad. Things would still continue to look bleak as the team was unable to make worlds in both 2018 and 2019.

Small but Meaningless Rise

In 2020 things will begin to show a positive sign. At the beginning of the year, former support Biofrost would return and previously added young top laner BrokenBlade was showing talent. In the summer things would take another step forward with ADC Doublelift leaving TL a team he had won four consecutive LCS titles for TSM and reuniting with Bjergsen and Biofrost. Parth, the coach who had been upgraded to General Manager in 2017 would come back as the Head coach as well. While the regular season saw some struggles during the playoffs TSM would come alive seeing TSM come back through the entire losers bracket to make a miracle run and make the 2020 World Championships as North America’s first seed. The miracles stopped here as TSM would go an abysmal 0-6 failing to win a single game at the world championships and bomb out.

Going into 2021 the team of the past would dissipate. ADC Doublelift who had just rejoined the team for the summer split in 2020 would retire and go into full-time streaming. The longest-tenured single-team LCS player would step back from playing and become the Coach for TSM. 2021 would mark the end of 2016 and see a huge roster overhaul with the remaining player being Spica from the 2020 team. TSM did bring in big name players such as Huni, and SwordArt with the star support from the LMS and LPL. Impossible expectations were placed on the newly signed PowerOfEvil as he attempted to replace the iconic Bjergsen in the mid-lane. This team would show good results but would falter in the big moments failing to reach worlds.

Free Falling

At the end of 2021 news began to come out on internal issues at TSM. Doublelift the former star player would come out against Owner Andy Dinh detailing a culture of toxicity and bullying. Discussing more on his want to play in 2021 with new support Sword Art but poor communication and large egos would get in the way of making that happen. The team would part ways with SwordArt and see long-time member and now part owner Bjergsen leave the team to join Team Liquid as their new mid laner. TSM would also see the departure of the long-time president of TSM Leena Xu and general manager Parth. Both were supposedly due to differences in opinions with Andy on how to properly structure the team. With Xu coming out detailing issues in the direction of the org as well as the wanting of a veteran contending lineup while Dinh wanted a young lineup both of which cost around the same. The organization as a whole had begun focusing more on moving towards other games and regions.

TSM created huge expectations in everything they did. They molded a community that was built on winning titles and having the biggest names in the league. Owner Andy Dinh pushed this along with every team he put together. He and the fans expected greatness and would accept nothing else, but with high expectations, a toxic environment can fester.

Recently Riot has begun an investigation into Andy the owner of TSM looking into claims of bullying and a toxic work environment. One which has employees detailing different times Dinh would yell at employees and create a culture of fear throughout the org. A culture that has pushed all the star players away from the org.

Rock Bottom

TSM was the team to beat in North America for years. They grew with the league creating personalities that helped foster a dedicated fan base. They created superstars and brought in new ones in order to create the teams that would hold onto the league. From the past fan favorites of Dyrus and Oddone to the growing culture around Bjergsen and Doublelift. The team fostered fans from its personalities and their results. When Doublelift dashed onto Crown’s Viktor the team and the org would stop rising and eventually collapse.

TSM currently sits at the bottom of the LCS with a young but struggling roster that is dealing with issues of communication and seeing many players being sent down to academy. They currently have an owner being accused of abusing players and employees mentally with a toxic work environment that has pushed away every person who has been vital to the org in the past. TSM had fallen. It has long since been the years in which they dominated the LCS. TSM stars are gone and the org is a shell of its former self. While this roster may improve in the future, TSM is no longer the TSM that we as fans knew and loved. The hope is that when you reach rock bottom there is only one place to go and that is up.