TL;DR
- 100 Thieves replaced Stunt and Meteos after a disappointing 1-5 week three performance
- Stunt revealed he learned about his removal hours after their loss and sensed the change coming
- The organization faces criticism for repeating past player management controversies from 2018
- Meteos’ Twitter outburst questioned management decisions despite six-man roster plans
- The situation highlights ongoing challenges in esports team management and player communication
100 Thieves supporters are experiencing significant organizational turbulence following the team’s recent lineup adjustments announcement.
Immediately following their defeat against Team SoloMid, the organization revealed substantial changes to their competitive roster. William “Meteos” Hartman in the jungle position and support specialist William “Stunt” Chen will be succeeded by Juan “Contractz” Garcia and Philippe “Poome” Lavoie-Giguere correspondingly.
Next week for LCS, @poomelol and @Contractz will be our starting Support and Jungle, respectively. We’ll share a video tomorrow from @PapaSmithy regarding these roster changes. pic.twitter.com/0CJc45V6mW
— 100 Thieves (@100Thieves) June 29, 2020
On Monday, the organization verified Stunt’s exit from their lineup. Management additionally clarified that all possibilities remain available for Meteos, potentially including movement to another competitive squad. Based on statements from general manager Christopher “PapaSmithy” Smith, the team intends to maintain a six-player configuration incorporating both Meteos and Contractz.
Despite these organizational reassurances, Meteos’ standing within the team appears uncertain following his social media commentary where the professional gamer appeared to challenge the strategic rationale behind the decision and the expertise of team leadership.
Stunt’s Perspective on the 2020 LCS Summer Split Changes
Shortly after the official announcement, Stunt provided his personal perspective concerning the roster adjustment.
“I discovered my complete removal from the team mere hours following our competitive defeat. Truthfully, I anticipated this outcome. Having previously encountered similar circumstances, I recognized the emerging indicators. Colleagues begin behaving differently in your presence,” Stunt expressed.
100 Thieves concluded week three with merely one triumph against five defeats, currently sharing eighth position with Immortals. These competitive results significantly underperform for a squad that secured third place during the spring regular season. PapaSmithy indicated these underwhelming performances necessitated roster modifications.
Stunt disagreed with the decision’s timing, maintaining his conviction that he and fellow team members could reverse their fortunes despite declining match performances.
“This summer season we clearly failed to maintain our previous competitive level, yet I remained entirely confident in our collective capacity for improvement both as a unit and individual competitors. While I comprehend the desire for transformation and recognize my suboptimal contributions played a role, I genuinely believed sustained collaboration would enable a standings recovery similar to our spring resurgence,” Stunt articulated.
Recurring Organizational Challenges in Roster Management
Historically, 100 Thieves has encountered scrutiny regarding their treatment of professional players and the perceived casual approach to contract administration by organizational leadership. The initial controversy occurred during 2018 when the team transferred Meteos to FlyQuest without preliminary consultation with the competitor.
In this current situation, Stunt becomes the affected individual. Through an official video statement, PapaSmithy communicated that 100 Thieves would assist in securing new competitive opportunities for Stunt. However, Stunt clarified his complete termination and intention to independently pursue professional openings.
The timing of roster changes represents a critical strategic consideration for professional League of Legends organizations. Teams must balance immediate competitive pressures against long-term player development objectives. Premature roster adjustments can disrupt team chemistry and impede the natural growth cycle of competitive squads.
Common mistakes in esports team management include insufficient communication with players, reactive decision-making based on short-term results, and failure to establish clear performance improvement timelines. Organizations should typically allow 4-6 weeks for new roster configurations to develop synergy before evaluating effectiveness.
Advanced optimization for professional teams involves creating transparent performance metrics, establishing clear improvement timelines, and maintaining open communication channels with all team members throughout evaluation periods.
Action Checklist
- Establish clear performance improvement timelines (4-6 week minimum)
- Maintain transparent communication with all players throughout evaluation periods
- Develop objective player evaluation metrics beyond win-loss records
- Create contingency plans for roster changes that include player consultation
No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » 100 Thieves drops Stunt, may also move Meteos from LCS roster Analyzing 100 Thieves' controversial roster moves and their impact on LCS competitive integrity