Mentioned in this article Games: League of Legends Teams: VfL Wolfsburg

Today the Esports Observer learnt that long-established German Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04 has acquired the EU LCS spot of Elements. Multiple sources confirm the deal which is most likely going to be presented next week. In November, after a disappointing performance in the Summer Split 2015, Elements had reportedly invited private bids on the LCS spot already but wasn’t able to find a buyer after all. The organisation ultimately decided to field a new roster for the upcoming Spring Split 2016, but only finished 7th place the third time in a row.

While FC Schalke 04 isn’t the first sports club that gets into esports—VfL Wolfsburg, Beşiktaş Istanbul, or just recently West Ham spring to mind—its commitment to a top tier esports title like League of Legends marks a new level. With all the resources available to the 14th-most valuable football club an impressive new challenger approaches. In terms of operating income, Schalke possesses the seventh-highest operating income of any football club more than $60 million. Schalke is the second-largest football club in Germany and the sixth-largest in the world in terms of memberships.

It looks like 2016 is truly becoming the year when esports went mainstream.

Here is our follow-up with the official announcement.