Player transfers: Shaping teams and changing the game

Player transfers are crucial in shaping team matchups and the overall competitive esports scene. Discover why fans and pundits follow these moves and how they can affect your betting strategy. 

Key takeaways

• Player transfers occur when an esports team buys out a pro player to join their roster.
• A player’s transfer price is influenced by a variety of factors like their skill level, popularity, and market demand.
• Every player has a big impact on the team’s dynamic with the rest of the league, and that’s why esports fans pay close attention to news about signings and departures. 

What is player transfer in esports?

A player transfer happens when a player is still under contract with an organisation but has moved to a new team. It is often more jarring than regular end-of-season drafts because it can happen mid-season. 

Esports player transfer situations are often between three parties namely the buying and selling organisations as well as the player in the discussion. Most of the time, it involves the buying team offering to take all contractual obligations in exchange for the player’s participation to represent them. It is a lucrative market and a big decision that organisations approach with careful consideration 

Factors teams consider when selecting players for transfer

Choosing which player to acquire and release is a critical decision for a team manager, as it directly affects their performance for the rest of the season. Here are the common factors they consider when choosing which player to buy and for how much:

The player’s experience and feats 

There are thousands of professional players in the top leagues worldwide but it is only a small fraction of the millions of hopefuls in the scene. Most aspiring pro players leave the scene after a year or so, fading into obscurity but the best ones stay longer and become legends. Pros with the most experience and feats to back up their relevancy are more valuable.

The need for synergy with the current lineup

Pre-season drafting is carefully planned but there will be issues appearing in the middle of the competition that the organisation failed to foresee. To remedy this, they sometimes need to make a heavy decision to let go of their assets in exchange for another. This can happen when a shift in the meta occurs and their original team-ups don’t work as effectively in the new season.

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Marketing value for the team and organisation

Many organisations hire esports players for more than just a competitive edge. It helps when they have a big following, giving the team marketing value for merchandise and affiliate programs. 

One of the best examples is Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins, a famous Fortnite Battle Royal gamer who rose to celebrity status around 2018. He is a high-skilled gamer but his time with Luminosity Gaming (2017-18) and Mixer (2019-20) was spent mostly being a content creator. Ninja was an asset to his teams not only competitively, but also to draw in sponsorships.  

Team budget limit and expectations in the season

The most impactful factor to consider in player transfer in esports betting is the organisation’s limitations. While financial details are usually kept private, budget constraints often influence which players a team can afford. 

One such example in League of Legends (LoL) esports is the now-disbanded Copenhagen Wolves. They were notorious for often selling away young talents rather than keeping them because they could not afford their player’s high market values. Notable players they had to release include Søren ‘Bjergsen’ Bjerg and Fabian ‘FEBIVEN’ Diepstraten, both of whom later became legends in the scene.

The need to fill a vacant position

It is unfortunate but there are times when a player has to leave the team and be ruled out for the season. Reasons may include illness, injuries, or personal issues they don’t wish to disclose. Esports organisations sometimes have reserved players but if there’s no one available, they’d be forced to buy a player or hire a freelance player to substitute.

What makes a player valuable in the transfer market?

Factors affecting a pro player’s transfer value are unique to every negotiation. Their cost now could be different to their value in the next season. It is up to the player’s agent and organisation to decide but they will look into the following common factors:

Superstar status in esports and pop culture

Esports players achieve fame that extends beyond the gaming world. Thus, a star player joining will bring marketing value to that team which can attract investors to sponsor their campaign. Brands like Red Bull and Adidas are known to loan players or teams for esports events based on their marketing value, further boosting a team’s exposure and funding. 

Proficiency in a certain play style or role

Competitive advantage is the most important factor to consider in player transfers betting. A pro player’s skillset and proficiency in a particular role or playstyle are often the key factors in their transfer value. Teams are always looking for players who can fill gaps in their roster. For example, even if the best mid-lane player in LoL is available, a team may pass on them because they are looking for a jungler, instead.

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The success rate in the esports scene 

Organisations focus on a player’s consistency throughout their career rather than a single standout moment. Even if they have a high-profile victory, they won’t have much value in the transfer market if they fail to make another international appearance. 

For example, Ayaz ‘nAtz’ Akhmetshin is recognised as among the best because of his consistently high ranking in Counter-Strike (CS) and VALORANT esports. However, a famous streamer who rarely reaches a high ranking in domestic leagues is less likely to attract esports organisations’ attention. 

Demand in the competitive scene

Supply and demand will also play a role in esports, especially if teams in the same league are looking for the best players with the same proficiency. For example, if VALORANT teams need a bottom fragger, organisations are likely to offer a contract signing with the same players available in the market. The highest bidder wins and is free to raise their offer before the pro season starts. 

One of the most costly pro players in esports history is Luka ‘Perkz’ Perkovic. Cloud9 bought him for $11 million from G2 Esports following his astounding success in LoL esports. He is one of the few players who have won seven LoL EMEA Championship (LEC) titles (now 8 as of writing). Thus, his demand was high among LoL teams worldwide. 

The player’s work ethic and reputation

Esports is far from the standard office setup but work ethic is still one of the most valued qualities employers seek in a player. Coaches need their players to show up consistently for practice and participate in scrimmages. Absences and insubordination are non-negotiable and will damage that player’s reputation and limit their career prospects in the industry. 

How does player transfer affect their odds in sports betting?

In esports, every player has a role to play in a team and transfers can affect a team’s odds of winning a head-to-head or the competition. Here are some of the biggest ways player transfers can affect betting odds:

Arrival or departure changes the dynamic of the squad and matchups

Even if two pro players excel in the same role, they develop their techniques in different ways. What worked for one person won’t work on another without extensive reconditioning. 

As a testament to this, fans develop a special affection for iconic duos in esports. One example is the pairing of Oleksandr ’s1mple’ Kostyliev and Denis ‘electroNic’ Sharipov from Natus Vincere around 2017 in CS esports. There was also Bae ‘Bengi’ Seong-Woong and Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok from T1 in League of Legends back in 2013. 

Players’ individual performance effects on prop bets

Esports fans can identify players’ tendencies when they play, making it easier to predict prop bets. For example, Faker was called the ‘Unkillable Demon King’ because he was known to survive tough matchups. Bettors are likely to predict that his death count to be less than the average LoL player’s and that his team will win first blood bets. Likewise, you can expect a high kill count from players like Mathieu ‘Zywoo’ Herbaut in CS2 once he gets his hands on an AWP. 

The popularity of the team affects dynamic odds at bookmakers

Bookmaker odds are affected by public perception. Many bettors back their favourite team, even if the opponent has a better statistical record in the past few games. A recent example of this in practice was when Team Liquid signed Aleks ‘Rainwaker’ Petrov and Robert ‘Patsi’ Isyanov for 2024. However, when they failed to qualify for Majors in CS esports, the team’s odds plunged. This shows how the hype around player transfers can sometimes lead to misplaced bets

Player transfers have a great impact on esports betting 

For better or worse, player transfer can affect the outcome of esports betting. It shakes up both the teams’ dynamics in the professional scene as well as fans’ expectations of their performance. However, it is not the only factor you should consider as a bettor. 

Every esports matchup is nuanced and you should pay close attention to various elements. To stay ahead, make sure to keep an eye on the latest esports news and blogs at Gamdom. 

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