After years of minimal pushback from Riot, T1, or any other entities involved, some passionate fans in South Korea have continued to harass the players on T1 until Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok‘s agency was forced to take legal action against outspoken “fans” online who were threatening him over match outcomes.
Over the years, League of Legends fans have sent death threats to players online, paid for billboardsto condemn the team, and delivered funeral flowers to T1’s headquarters, among other over-the-top behavior.
Now, T1 is stepping up to protect its players. On April 29th, the organization said that “loitering near the team house or HQ” will be prohibited, along with filming, stalking, and threatening player safety.
“Please understand that such unannounced approaches cause severe psychological distress and fear for the players,” T1 wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
T1 went on to say that it prioritizes the well-being of its players “above all else.” Anything considered an invasion of privacy will face immediate consequences, including “strong legal action.”
“We ask for your active cooperation in fostering a healthy and respectful fan culture,” T1 concluded. “T1 will continue to do our utmost to ensure a safe environment where our players can fully focus on their performance.”
I think it could definitely be argued that T1 has not prioritized player safety and well-being up until the past few weeks. Before Faker’s talent agency stepped in, the League of Legends community felt that little was being done to stop online harassment. Even the South Korean government was growing alarmed.
I’m glad to see T1 finally pushing back against toxic behavior. A lot of fans have expressed shock with how out of control T1 stans have become. Someone wrote on X: “Imagine being so unhinged that a multi-million dollar gaming org has to release a two-language PDF just to tell you to stay away from their house. Go outside and interact with actual pixels, please.”
