Esports organisation CLG caused controversy this week after posting a behind-the-scenes video in which players were told their positions on the team were under threat. CLG took the video down just hours later, but it has continued to circulate after being re-posted to YouTube, as reported by Kotaku.
The video was posted as part of a sponsored series called Bud Light Gaming Cooldown, with the sponsor’s branding appearing at multiple points during the revealing video. It shows Daniel “Tafokints” Lee, the manager of CLG’s besieged League Of Legends team, warning that roster changes could be on the cards.
“I’m gonna be kinda upfront, I am looking at roster swaps,” Lee said in the video, which has since been re-uploaded to YouTube. “It’s been a little over two months; we’re not really progressing, so there’s very likely going to be changes this week. I’m exploring options, so this might be the last time that we have this roster of five playing.”
The video was so poorly received that it was quickly pulled, with CLG later tweeting an apology in a format that’s become all too familiar in the gaming industry. “Our goal was to share an authentic moment with our fans and be as transparent as possible leading up to potential changes that may occur this week,” the apology read.
While the video did include a level of transparency about the running of an esports team, people questioned how necessary it was to broadcast such a vulnerable moment for the players involved. CLG’s apology has also been poorly received, with commenters calling for CLG management to apologize directly to the players instead.
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