Today, in a first for the esports industry, Splyce players wore pride jerseys on the League of Legends European Championship’s main stage. These players swapped out their traditional jerseys in favor of ones that match Berlin’s upcoming Christopher Street Day celebration. The LGBTQ+ celebration is held annually across various cities in Europe.
Promoting inclusion
“An important part of building a world-leading esports and entertainment company is hiring the best people, and we’ve been fortunate to attract some of the best talent to our teams and into our front office,” Chris Overholt, the president and CEO at OverActive Media, said.
He added that across the organization, having everyone feel safe and encouraging them to be themselves builds a winning culture. He is proud of the initiative, since it clearly reiterated that everyone is welcome at OverActive Media no matter who they choose to love.
James “Stress” O’Leary, a former League of Legends European Championship caster who now works with Splyce, agreed. “One thing we want to send is a very clear message—is that everybody is welcome in the esports community regardless of your gender, identity or sexual orientation,” he said. In an interview with OutSports, O’Leary further discussed the importance of LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion in esports.
In a video promoting Splyce’s Pride-themed jerseys, which are now available to purchase online, O’Leary noted that all of the proceeds are going to charity. Splyce has paired up with ILGA-Europe, which promotes quality across 54 countries in Europe and Central Asia, for the initiative.
After winning their match against Team Vitality today, Splyce is currently in second place in the League of Legends European Championship standings. The top three teams of the championship’s Summer Finals will get to duke it out in Athens, Greece between September 7 and 8 this year, and the winner will automatically qualify for the League of Legends World Championships.
