Photo: Rekkles
For several days, clips of Martin “Rekkles” Larsson turn on the internet. We see the Swede of the Karmine Corp. talk about his future and his desire to return to the LEC next year. He seems particularly determined and vindictive, he has a “legacy to defend”, he will return to the LEC “one way or another” and if we can reject him outside the European elite for a year, “not of them”.
While the Karmine Corp dreams of joining the LEC in 2023 and that is the stated objective of Kameto, the blue wall ultras were quick to interpret the news as a very positive sign… If Rekkles is so sure of himself, it’s because he may still have secret information that leads him to think that as Rumor has it, the European league will drop from 10 to 12 teams after a exceptional expansion and a potential selection process. However, isn’t this interpretation a bit too optimistic? Can Rekkles’ burning desire to play LEC turn into bad news ?
The question of the expansion to 12, a subject still very obscure
We don’t want to play ominous birds, but this story of expansion is really not won. The rumor was started some time ago by Esportmaniacos, but since no additional element has come to reinforce the idea. Only Kamel’s enthusiasm and Karmine Corp’s fury move the subject forward. We can’t blame them, but on our side, we prefer not to ignite… We even contacted Riot Games for information on the matter last year. The answer remained evasive and frankly wasn’t very optimistic: “at the moment there is no planned plan or timetable for an expansion“. Complicated in these conditions to project too much.
On December 15, another declaration made the sky cloudy. Ben Spoont, founder and CEO of Misfits Gaming, a structure which has a team in LEC and LFL, spoke on twitter. According to him, the scenario of an expansion for 2023 was very unlikely and only a takeover could bring KC into the European elite. Obviously, his opinion commits only him… But due to his position, he is well placed to have information and we also imagine that if the European league grows, the teams already present will have a right to see veto. If G2 or Fnatic may have an interest in seeing newcomers like the Karmine Where KOI, this is not necessarily the case for structures like EXCEL, Astralis Where Team Vitality.
Rekkles in LEC, with or without the Karmine Corp?
Rekkles has affirmed his desire to play in the LEC next year. But the Karmine Corp. is not sure to be LEC in 2023, especially with this expansion process which for the moment remains only a rumor. The problem therefore appears crystal clear. The Swede is happy at KC for the moment and ideally he would like to return to the European elite with his current team. But the world of esports is a world of sharks… Will the love of the jersey be enough if the structure of Kamel and Premium remains blocked in the French league? Although the community is thrilled to have a player like Rekkles in LFL, it must be recognized that it is a small anomaly compared to the CV of the player.
Rekkles signed for 2 years with the K Corp. As he is just starting his first season, there is no need to worry too much at the moment. But if the veteran is desperate to get back to the LEC (“one way or another”) his path could well take a new turn at the end of the year. La Karmine may be playing very big and she has every interest in finding a way to achieve her goal, whether it’s not a buyout or by pushing the expansion project as much as she can. If she fails, she could lose her jewel that she had such a hard time getting.