On March 15 2011 02:29 NIIINO wrote:
i think that 31k is more than enough. AWESOME ! I think they deserve this they work really hard.
but are they really 1st ?

In Korea probably... . They think that sc is played professionally only in Korea and so it's not necessary to contain the statement.

Sein

United States1811 Posts

March 14 2011 18:09 GMT

#222

On March 15 2011 00:44 ffadicted wrote:

Show nested quote +

This

30K is actually a big sum when you take off cost of mortgage/rent, heating, electricity, food (I'm pretty sure), etc... That actually accounts for the majority of expenses for the majority of people. Just being in code S earns > $1000 bucks already, so someone like tester that could average a round of 8 appearance, that's already another 15K right there, and that's not including sums from other tournaments, like godemperor mentioned.

Basically they're getting ~ 45K per year of EXTRA SPENDING CASH. That's a pretty goddamn big sum, especially in korea

Yep. Imagine you have 30k + prize money (which can be very high depending on how well you perform) left over AFTER you've covered your housing and most of food costs. Do note that 30k is not a great, but still respectable income for people who actually have to cover their own entire living expenses in South Korea. I would call that a luxury. Most of those kids are middle school/high school dropouts in late teens.

It's true that the starcraft progaming scene is very competitive, but preparing for the college entrance exam in South Korea is also an extremely grueling process where the majority of kids stay after school until late evening for extra studying sessions and then go to prep schools, only to return home midnight or later to take care of their homework. Doing pretty well on that entrance exam to graduate from a decent university doesn't necessarily guarantee finding an ok job either. This is probably why progaming is considered as a legitimate profession in Korea even by many parents.

Also, I keep hearing 80 hours and how it's not worth working that much for "merely" 30k, but it's not like they're required to strictly practice 80 hours per week. Fruitdealer especially probably doesn't put in hours anywhere close to that figure these days. You get up around 1pm, play starcraft for the rest of the day while taking some breaks to eat, browse online, go exercise or drinking until you go to sleep around 3-4am. I'd say that sounds a little different from working at a construction site for 80 hours per week.

Darpa

Canada4413 Posts

March 14 2011 18:12 GMT

#223

Good news, but certainly not the first, FXO, EG, Liquid, Mouz, all pay their players salaries.

Velocity`

United Kingdom343 Posts

March 14 2011 18:16 GMT

#224

31k is not a lot compared to what you could make doing a regular job. However, the point is that it's still a nice amount of money when you look at what you are doing. Playing Starcraft all day and getting paid to do something you love, and being able to live off of it, is worth more than a top salary.

maybenexttime

Poland5589 Posts

March 14 2011 18:17 GMT

#225

On March 15 2011 01:55 Torte de Lini wrote:
Really not bad! A good start and maybe they'll be paid more as this creates precedence!

It's all nice, but what precedence are you talking about? It's not like CS or WC3 didn't/don't have players with salaries. Not to mention BW, which sc2 is FAR behind.

darmousseh

United States3437 Posts

March 14 2011 18:20 GMT

#226

I initially read this as "Team Liquid Starleague" to become first sc2 team with player salaries :p

Qiang1446

United States92 Posts

March 14 2011 18:48 GMT

#227

I've been paying my players a salary since December..... Gotta love media

correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think your salary can even compare to TSL's (good salary + housing/food)

i doubt any of your players are getting 5 figures for salary... I can pay a team 100$ salary and call it a salary but cmon, lets get real

so until foreign sponsors start paying for housing + food and give at least 5 figure salaries.. this dosen't even compare and is a huge step for sc2 to become "as big" as bw

maliceee

United States634 Posts

March 14 2011 18:55 GMT

#228

lets see 31000 usd coupled with living transportation and meals...thats a pretty hefty pay with perks included.

Spekulatius

Germany2413 Posts

March 14 2011 18:57 GMT

#229

Kind of expectable to see pro gaming team members in SC2 getting paid reasonable salary - if I remember correctly, that was usual in BW. People need to be able to making a living out of gaming if they dedicate their whole life to it just as others have their job in whatever profession. Good news though, TSL won't be the only team.

Vaeila

Netherlands336 Posts

March 14 2011 18:58 GMT

#230

On March 15 2011 03:12 Darpa wrote:
Good news, but certainly not the first, FXO, EG, Liquid, Mouz, all pay their players salaries.

Im sure every FXO player is getting 30k a year, no problem.

While I agree the thread title is wrong the difference in salary is probably huge.

leadphyc

United States99 Posts

March 14 2011 18:58 GMT

#231

On March 14 2011 14:46 Fayth wrote:

Show nested quote +

pretty mediocre when its 80 hours a week though, hopefully it rises in a year or 2

yea but its playing a game and they get money when they win tornuments and they probely get a bonus for winning also but 31,000 is a start im sure it will rise but itll take more than 2 years.

hugman

Sweden4644 Posts

March 14 2011 19:00 GMT

#232

I assumed all the major teams already had salaries

Hoku

United States129 Posts

March 14 2011 19:03 GMT

#233

I don't understand all of the people saying 31,000$/year isn't a high enough salary for doing something you've always dreamed of doing.

HowSoOnIsNow

Canada480 Posts

March 14 2011 19:03 GMT

#234

Amazing, now the scene is getting serious. That`s basic salary plus what they win at the GSL, it`s very encouraging. It`s not the 250 000k a year Bisu and Flash makes, but with more exposure, we`re getting there. Most of these guys are quite young so i mean, getting that kind of money and having the chance to win 50 000k per months is gonna push people into the scene.

Good news all in all. .....oh and CLide should get a muthafuckin pay raise ahahhaah.

cive

Canada370 Posts

March 14 2011 19:04 GMT

#235

To put things into perspective...

In Korea, one of the best companies such as Samsung offer 20k~30k as starting. You work ridiculous hours on it as well. Samsung is the dream job of every Korean man. The rumor is that its 1.5x to 2x the expected salary.

Minimum wage is around $3.5 ish /h. Though some jobs pay you even lower.

If you are under 30 making 30k I think this is incredible in Korea ^^

ptbl

United States6074 Posts

March 14 2011 19:09 GMT

#236

Excluding Brood War, 30k is a lot of money. A minimum wage in U.S. for the year is 11k. So, the sc2 gamers are roughly making 3 times as more, if we include lodging, travel, and food costs.

I don't think the foreign teams come close to playing its players. I would venture to guess it's around 7k or so for the good players.

LegendaryZ

United States1583 Posts

March 14 2011 19:11 GMT

#237

I don't understand all these people saying that these people are being paid to have fun. I think many people who have delved into pro-gaming have stated that it's often the furthest thing from "fun". Playing casually certainly may be fun, but when you're playing the same exact game on the exact same maps over and over again for upwards of 8-hours a day with the pressure of knowing that your livelihood depends on producing results in an extremely competitive environment, it quickly stops being "fun" and becomes no different from any other mundane job.

Sein

United States1811 Posts

March 14 2011 19:11 GMT

#238

On March 15 2011 04:04 cive wrote:
To put things into perspective...

In Korea, one of the best companies such as Samsung offer 20k~30k as starting. You work ridiculous hours on it as well. Samsung is the dream job of every Korean man. The rumor is that its 1.5x to 2x the expected salary.

Minimum wage is around $3.5 ish /h. Though some jobs pay you even lower.

If you are under 30 making 30k I think this is incredible in Korea ^^

Especially if you have your entire housing/transportation expense and most of food costs covered with someone else doing all the housework already.

FliedLice

Germany7494 Posts

March 14 2011 19:12 GMT

#239

On March 15 2011 03:48 duckducktiM wrote:

Show nested quote +

so until foreign sponsors start paying for housing + food and give at least 5 figure salaries.. this dosen't even compare and is a huge step for sc2 to become "as big" as bw

FXO puts some serious money into their esports projects, also he said that he's paying "above avarage", whatever that means

and FXO is actually setting up a team house that outclasses the korean apartments with 20 players in them pretty hard as far as i know:

"FXOpen e-Sports TEAM HOUSE. We have found a property, its already owned by our company. It’s a large house just outside of Kuala Lumpur. It is the complete opposite of a Korean team house and is a more comfortable environment. We are now waiting for the occupants to move to their new place in the next 12 months (FXOMonarch is currently occupying it). If something changes in the company, this may change."

http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=196471

also didn't TLO say in an interview some time ago (the one with TaKe when he returned to germany?) that the money he gets actually is in the 4digit area (monthly)

loklok

Germany161 Posts

March 14 2011 19:54 GMT

#240

Why everyone is thinking that it's only fun? It is hard work. You have a full and strict scheudule. They can't sleep until 3 PM and play just for fun, check teamliquid and skip some games if they need a break. You are always under success pressure and have to represent your team in a good way in front of the media.

Of course if that is your dream and thats the thing you want to do then it's fun. But compare it to any other job, it's the same thing.

And there are no limits in salary in that kind of business. Compared to football player it is an awkward salary and they are also just "have fun".