Here’s how Team Liquid almost lost star support CoreJJ

A startling revelation from Team Liquid management has uncovered how close the organization came to losing their cornerstone support player, Jo “CoreJJ” Yong-In, due to immigration complications that threatened to derail their entire competitive season.

General Manager Jun “Dodo” Kang disclosed critical details through social media platforms following CoreJJ’s successful green card approval, exposing the precarious nature of international player residency in the LCS. Dodo’s account revealed that failure to secure CoreJJ’s immigration status would have almost certainly resulted in Team Liquid permanently losing their world championship-caliber support.

Why Team Liquid Nearly Lost Their Key Player

CoreJJ has served as the foundational pillar of Team Liquid’s competitive lineup for multiple seasons, forming one half of the team’s veteran core alongside jungler Lucas “Santorin” Larsen as the only returning members from the previous year’s starting roster. When the 2022 LCS Spring Split commenced, CoreJJ found himself sidelined despite the high-profile acquisitions of Gabriël “Bwipo” Rau and Steven “Hans Sama” Liv, all due to the LCS’s stringent import slot limitations.

The green card acquisition process represented the essential pathway for CoreJJ to achieve resident player classification within the LCS system, thereby freeing up crucial import slots. Most observers assumed it was merely a question of timing rather than feasibility for CoreJJ to eventually join his new teammates on the competitive stage. However, Dodo’s subsequent statements revealed this optimistic assumption was dangerously misplaced.

Dodo elaborated that the probability of Team Liquid losing CoreJJ entirely was substantially high if immigration approval hadn’t materialized. The organization consulted numerous immigration legal specialists, with many assessing the case as virtually hopeless and declining representation due to the minimal chances of success. This legal skepticism created an environment where Team Liquid’s management had to navigate uncharted territory without professional legal guidance.

The situation demonstrates the complex interplay between team composition strategy and international regulations that esports organizations must master. Fortunately, the immigration obstacles Team Liquid confronted were ultimately resolved just in time for CoreJJ to make his LCS debut in February, though the resolution came dangerously close to the competitive deadline.

This near-disaster underscores the critical importance of proactive immigration planning for organizations competing in international esports leagues. Teams must build comprehensive management strategies that account for regulatory hurdles beyond pure competitive considerations. The resolution enabled Team Liquid to field their optimal starting lineup, but the experience serves as a cautionary tale for the entire industry.

Successful roster construction requires not just identifying talented players but also navigating the complex web of immigration regulations that govern international competition. Organizations must develop contingency plans and build relationships with specialized legal counsel familiar with esports-specific immigration challenges to avoid similar crises.

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