MAD Lions
MAD Lions[lower-alpha 1] is a Spanish esports organisation owned by OverActive Media.[1] Its main League of Legends team, which was rebranded from Splyce, competes in Europe's top-level league for the game, the LEC. Its secondary League of Legends team competes in Spain's SuperLiga Orange, the top three teams of which qualify for the prestigious European Masters tournament.[2]
Divisions | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive League of Legends |
---|---|
Founded | 31 August 2017 |
League | LEC |
Based in | Madrid, Spain |
Parent group | OverActive Media |
League of Legends
History
MAD Lions was founded on 31 August 2017 to compete in the Spanish professional League of Legends scene. The team began competing in Spain's SuperLiga Orange (formerly División de Honor) and grew in popularity as they consistently topped the region, qualifying for the prestigious European Masters tournament thrice and winning the tournament in their second appearance in summer 2018. The organisation also began expanding globally, sponsoring several teams in Latin America under the MAD Lions brand.[3]
In May 2019 it was announced that MAD Lions had been acquired by OverActive Media.[1] The company later announced its intentions to dissolve its other esports subsidiary, Splyce, by the end of the year.[4][5] Splyce's League of Legends team subsequently assumed the MAD Lions brand in November 2019, while MAD Lions' original League of Legends team renamed to MAD Lions Madrid.[6]
MAD Lions' inaugural LEC roster for the 2020 Spring Split consisted of four rookies—Orome, Shad0w, Carzzy, and Kaiser—and one former member of Splyce, Humanoid.[6] Despite expectations that the team would only qualify for the losers' bracket of playoffs or not qualify at all, MAD Lions finished fourth in the regular season[7] and secured a spot in the winners' bracket.[8] G2 Esports selected MAD Lions as their opponent for the first round of playoffs, and were expected to win against MAD Lions as favourites to win the spring season. However, MAD Lions were able to defeat G2 Esports in a close-fought series, knocking the latter into the losers' bracket.[9][10]
Roster
MAD Lions roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
James "Mac" MacCormack
Christophe "Kaas" van Oudheusden
Latest roster transaction: 3 January 2020. |
Tournament results
Placement | Event | Final result (W–L) |
---|---|---|
4th | 2020 LEC Spring Split | 11–7 |
3rd | 2020 LEC Spring Playoffs | 1–3 (against G2 Esports) |
2nd | 2020 LEC Summer Split | 12–6 |
Notes
- Known as MAD Lions E.C. until November 2019. "MAD" is short for Madrid, but the name "Madrid Lions" has never been used by the organisation.
References
- Hayward, Andrew (29 May 2019). "OverActive Media Acquires Spain's MAD Lions Esports Club". The Esports Observer. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- Chen, Ethan (7 January 2020). "MAD Lions unveil their 2020 SuperLiga Orange roster". Daily Esports. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- "MAD Lions se expande a Colombia". Movistar eSports (in Spanish). Movistar eSports. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- Lewis, Richard (22 September 2019). "Parent company OverActive Media to shut down Splyce brand as part of restructuring". Dexerto. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- Nicholson, Jonno (23 September 2019). "OverActive Media to close down Splyce office in Rochester". Esports Insider. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- Robertson, Scott (29 November 2019). "Splyce officially rebrand LEC team to MAD Lions, announce 2020 starters". Dexerto. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- Lupasco, Cristian (28 March 2020). "MAD Lions secure fourth place in LEC Spring Split standings". Dot Esports. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- "MAD Lions earn spot in winners bracket on final day". Field Level Media via Reuters. 29 March 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- Geracie, Nick (3 April 2020). "League of Legends: [LEC Spring Playoffs] MAD Lions upsets G2 Esports in 5 game epic". Inven Global. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- Kolev, Radoslav (3 April 2020). "MAD Lions shock G2 in LEC playoffs thriller". VPEsports. Retrieved 3 April 2020.