Organizations are already making moves now that the 2021 Dota Pro Circuit’s first season of regional leagues has ended and teams are looking to make changes before the Major and the second season begins.
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The biggest move to happen thus far involved T1, who just released Souliya “JaCkky” Khoomphetsavong despite the team finishing third in their region and earning an invite to the ONE Esports Singapore Major.
금일부로 T1 @DOTA2 팀에서 활동한 'JaCkky' 선수와 계약을 종료하게 되었습니다. 그동안의 활약에 감사드립니다.
Today we part ways with 'JaCkky'. We highly appreciate his contribution to the team and wish him all the best. pic.twitter.com/aCaI3LzJO7
— T1 (@T1) March 3, 2021JaCkky joined T1 in November and was a big factor in the team securing a top spot in high-level Southeast Asian event for the first time since the organization opened its Dota 2 division in late 2019. Although he was part of this successful regional league run, with the team finishing 5-2 and just missing out on the second seed, T1 has decided to make a change.
Immediately after the move was announced, T1 received a lot of backlash for the decision to release one of its players even after he helped them make it to the Major.
Instead they would make some decisions hidden from the public, or just outright uncertain – this way it gives them power to adapt and choose whatever is best for them.
Sometimes what's best for them just so happens to be good for teams, or spectators.
— Ben Steenhuisen (@Noxville) March 3, 2021Because he was released, JaCkky will not receive any DPC points or be able to compete in the Major, and will instead need to look for a new team ahead of season two. He is also no longer guaranteed a spot in the upper division and will likely end up being signed to a team that will play in open qualifiers and try to climb the ranks from the lower division.
As former player and current analyst Kyle Freedman said in his recent blog post about roster turnover: “If replaced during/after Season Two of the DPC your only chance of playing in the qualifiers for TI would be to continue the circle of suck and take someone else’s spot on a previously qualified team.”
Unfortunately for those upset with the move, this is entirely legal and T1 can now freely sign another player to replace JaCkky in the Major. However, because they dropped a player, the organization will receive a deduction to the total number of DPC points they earn during the event, along with other penalties listed on the official DPC rules page.
Right now, T1’s roster is entirely made up of former Geek Fam players, with Karl Jayme, Carlo “Kuku” Palad, Kenny “Xepher” Deo, and Matthew “Whitemon” Filemon. There is no confirmation on who will be picked up to replace JaCkky as the team’s carry heading into the Major, but rumors are pointing to Nuengnara “23savage” Teeramahanon.
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