How Top Esports Teams Build Brands, Win Fans, and Stay Ahead

Esports orgs aren’t just teams anymore. They’re content machines, lifestyle brands, and global businesses. Whether it’s Team Liquid, 100 Thieves, or SKT T1, the Top Esports Teams aren’t just winning matches—they’re building full-blown empires across League of Legends, CS:GO, Dota 2, Valorant, and Smash.

Fans don’t just want results. They want stories, memes, drama, access, and identity. That’s why the best orgs treat their players, content, and brand like a multiplayer game. And they play it well.

Here’s how.

Esports Is Bigger Than Tournaments

Winning helps—but it’s not the whole game

A solid trophy shelf helps build buzz. But to keep fans long-term, you need more than match results. You need personality.

100 Thieves is a perfect case. Sure, they compete in Valorant, League, and Call of Duty. But they’re best known for their merch drops, vlogs, and vibe. They made fans care about the brand—even when the teams lose.

Team Liquid has done the opposite. They lean into legacy. They show off elite training, sharp production, and a long history across games like Dota 2, CS:GO, and StarCraft. They play the prestige card.

Both strategies work. What matters is that each org knows what they stand for—and sticks to it.

Content Is the New Arena

Fans want more than just matches

It’s not just about what happens on the main stage anymore. Top orgs use YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, and X (Twitter) to keep fans plugged in between games.

Example: After a painful playoff loss in Valorant, 100 Thieves didn’t go quiet. They released a “mic’d up” video showing the team’s emotional huddle afterward. No fake drama. Just real players, real reactions. Fans loved it.

SKT T1 balances things differently. They produce behind-the-scenes footage, training clips, and livestreams—but always with a pro tone. Less influencer content, more champion energy.

Rule of thumb: Your players are the stars. Don’t hide them behind logos. Let fans see who they are off the stage. Even a 30-second clip of a player rage-quitting in solo queue builds a stronger connection than a match highlight reel.

Players Are Walking Brands

One tweet can change everything

Your roster is your brand. And in games like Smash or CS:GO, the players often outshine the orgs. That’s why top teams train players not just in-game—but online.

Example: In the League scene, one infamous trash talk clip got a rookie benched after it exploded on Reddit. It wasn’t even that serious—but the timing, tone, and backlash hurt the team’s image overnight.

SKT T1 doesn’t let that happen. They run media training camps. Players learn what to say, when to stream, and how to deal with trolls. The result? Fewer scandals, better sponsor value, and fans that actually trust them.

If you manage talent, build guardrails. Set post-match interview rules. Review tweets. Be ready to delete or defend—fast.

Fans Want Access (Without the Creep)

Balance hype with boundaries

Fans follow because they care. But that means they’ll also dig through Reddit, watch every stream, and screenshot every slip-up.

That’s why orgs like Team Liquid focus on controlled access. They show enough to make fans feel close—but not so much that players burn out.

They also turn bad moments into teachable ones. When a Valorant player accidentally leaked team comps on stream, they didn’t panic. They dropped a behind-the-scenes clip the next day poking fun at it. Smart damage control. No drama.

Let your players be human—but stay in control of the story.

Cross-Game Identity Matters

Your brand should travel with your roster

Top teams don’t just play one game—they build a name that carries across titles. When Team Liquid fields rosters in CS:GO, Valorant, and Dota 2, fans know what to expect: professionalism, high standards, and top-tier talent. That consistency builds loyalty.

100 Thieves does this with style. Their League of Legends team might miss playoffs, but fans still show up for their Call of Duty squad, watch their lifestyle vlogs, and buy the merch. The vibe stays the same, even when the game changes.

If your org jumps into a new title, bring your culture with you. Use the same voice, tone, and look. Introduce new players like they’re joining a family—not just filling a roster. Fans notice the details. And when you get it right, they’ll follow you anywhere.

The Real Game: Keeping Sponsors Happy

Money talks, image matters

Big names like Red Bull, Coinbase, and BMW don’t just care about K/D ratios. They care about reach, consistency, and reputation.

100 Thieves locked in partnerships with Gucci and Lexus not because they won a major—but because they look like a brand people want to be part of.

That means a clean image, steady content, and strong fan loyalty. It also means no messy drama, no random player suspensions, and no PR nightmares sitting on page one of Google.

If you’re running an org: Audit your old content. Lock down inactive channels. Create clear brand guidelines. Make it easy for sponsors to say yes—and hard for them to walk away.

What Happens When It All Goes Wrong?

You need a plan for the backlash

Things blow up. Someone tweets something dumb. A match-fixing rumour gets out. A toxic fanbase goes too far. The worst thing you can do is wait and hope it dies down.

Top orgs respond fast.

SKT T1 suspended a coach mid-season when internal complaints surfaced. They posted a clean statement, didn’t over-explain, and followed up when the review ended. No Reddit threads. No guessing games. Just control.

That kind of response isn’t easy. It takes prep, structure, and tools.

One example is erase.com, a service that helps companies manage their online image. They handle takedowns, search result suppression, and content removal when things spiral. Some esports orgs use services like this when the backlash spreads beyond just fans.

Build a Brand People Want to Cheer For

Esports moves fast. Teams rise and fall. But brands last.

SKT T1 built theirs on legacy. Team Liquid built it on results. 100 Thieves built it on culture. Smash players often build it solo—stream by stream, match by match.

Top Esports Teams take different routes, but they all know one thing: reputation matters. But so does personality. Let your org be fun, sharp, weird, serious—whatever feels right.

Just make sure it’s real. Fans can smell fake from a mile away.

And in gaming, trust isn’t just earned. It’s everything.