As we reported on May 7, the German football club FC Schalke 04 has entered esports in big fashion by acquiring the EU LCS slot of former team Elements. Today, the club has confirmed the purchase officially.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“We acted quickly in order to be able to participate in the upcoming summer split. Our players are hungry for success, talented and passionate about every match they play”, says Tim Reichert, Head of Esports at Schalke. “By completely integrating a team of professional Esports contestants into our club structures we are aiming to set new standards for the scene.”[/perfectpullquote]

Schalke’s investment is a massive step for the European LCS as well as the esports industry in general. While its North American counterpart had witnessed several big investments in the past, the EU LCS suffered heavily from the talent drain caused by the big money that was floating into the NA scene. Before the start of the current season, European star players like Henrik “Froggen” Hansen or Bora “YellOwStaR” Kim moved to the U.S. to play for those financially better situated NA teams.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“Esports has drastically increased in terms of professionalism within the last years”, says Moritz Beckers-Schwarz, Chairman of the board, Schalke 04 Arena Management GmbH. “We want to speed up this process by making sure our players experience the best training conditions possible and assisting them in their development as professionals. We will fully commit to this and integrate them into the club.”[/perfectpullquote]

Riot’s LCS will now have to deal with a real sports giant. The club, which was established in 1904, is one of the most popular professional football teams and multi-sports organisation in Germany. According to Forbes, Schalke possesses the fourteenth-highest operating income of any football club at $67 million. Schalke holds major sponsorship deals with big brands like Veltins, Gazprom, adidas, VW, Coca-Cola, and Hisense.

It’s not to be underestimated what a club like Schalke can accomplish for its LCS team. The club does not only have strong financial resources, it also is capable to provide the most professional infrastructure esports has seen so far. Schalke is known for it’s youth development section, the club employs psychologists, physiotherapists, a team doctor, highly-experienced coaches and analysts, etc. In other words: if Schalke really wants to take esports to the next level, it just needs to start.