After a successful 2019 season, which saw Splyce go all the way to the quarterfinals at Worlds, the team is taking the next step in their evolution.
To mark the start of the 2020 LEC Spring Split, Splyce is rebranding, and will now play under the MAD Lions name and colors.
MAD Lions will be joining the @LEC in 2020! 🇪🇸 https://t.co/pjCycRuYzv pic.twitter.com/48yG2Npwzr
— MAD Lions KOI English (@MADLionsKOI_en) November 29, 2019
MAD Lions was founded in 2017 and had an immediate impact on the Spanish League of Legends scene, making to the SuperLiga Orange playoffs in their first season. The team was acquired this year by the Splyce parent company, OverActive Media Group.
‘I’m excited about 2020. It is an honor for me, and our entire community to finally be part of the LEC, and to represent Spain,’ says MAD Lions SuperLigaOrange head coach – and former EU LCS star – Alvar ‘Araneae’ Martín Alenar.
As the inaugural MAD Lions LEC season begins next February, the team roster and coaching staff continue to come together. The list announced is:
Top laner: Andrei ‘Orome’ Popa
Jungler: Zhiqiang ‘Shadow’ Zhao
Mid Laner: Marek ‘Humanoid’ Brázda
Support: Norman ‘Gistick’ Kaiser
ADC: Matyáš ‘Carzzy’ Orság
Only one player remains from the former Splyce roster, the mid-laner Humanoid. Everyone else is from the MAD Lions Spanish Academy League. Splyce had quite a big success this year, being the 3rd EU team to qualify for the World Championship. They managed to qualify for quarters but lost to SK Telecom T1, who was considered one of the tournament favorites.
The rookies from the Spanish Academy Team are unproved on the main stage, except Orome, who played some LEC games. Shadow/Gistick/Carzzy will need to prove themselves on the main stage of being worthy successors to Xerxe/Kobbe and Norskeren.
Shadow was considered the best jungler in the European Masters, which happened earlier this year, a successor of Selfmade. If we look at Selfmade’s first split under the SK Gaming organization, then we should have high hopes from Shadow as well. Selfmade was a beast and was a pivotal factor in the wins of his team, while Shadow was a crucial factor in the academy league. Both have similar playstyles, so significant carry potential is expected from Shadow on the MAD Lions squad.
President and CEO of OverActive Media said in his announcement, “We want to thank our Splyce fans and invite them to join all of us as we head into an exciting new era in the LEC.”
It is a bad day to be a Splyce fan, but on the other hand, it is a great day to be a MAD Lions fan, stay tuned for their games in the upcoming LEC season!
