• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EST 15:38
CET 21:38
KST 05:38
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
RSL Revival - 2025 Season Finals Preview2RSL Season 3 - Playoffs Preview0RSL Season 3 - RO16 Groups C & D Preview0RSL Season 3 - RO16 Groups A & B Preview2TL.net Map Contest #21: Winners12
Community News
Weekly Cups (Dec 1-7): Clem doubles, Solar gets over the hump1Weekly Cups (Nov 24-30): MaxPax, Clem, herO win2BGE Stara Zagora 2026 announced15[BSL21] Ro.16 Group Stage (C->B->A->D)4Weekly Cups (Nov 17-23): Solar, MaxPax, Clem win3
StarCraft 2
General
RSL Revival - 2025 Season Finals Preview Weekly Cups (Dec 1-7): Clem doubles, Solar gets over the hump Chinese SC2 server to reopen; live all-star event in Hangzhou Maestros of the Game: Live Finals Preview (RO4) BGE Stara Zagora 2026 announced
Tourneys
RSL Offline Finals Info - Dec 13 and 14! Tenacious Turtle Tussle 2025 RSL Offline Finals Dates + Ticket Sales! Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament StarCraft2.fi 15th Anniversary Cup
Strategy
Custom Maps
Map Editor closed ?
External Content
Mutation # 503 Fowl Play Mutation # 502 Negative Reinforcement Mutation # 501 Price of Progress Mutation # 500 Fright night
Brood War
General
BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ [BSL21] RO8 Bracket & Prediction Contest BW General Discussion Let's talk about Metropolis Foreign Brood War
Tourneys
[ASL20] Grand Finals Small VOD Thread 2.0 [Megathread] Daily Proleagues [BSL21] RO16 Group D - Sunday 21:00 CET
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Fighting Spirit mining rates Current Meta Game Theory for Starcraft
Other Games
General Games
Awesome Games Done Quick 2026! Nintendo Switch Thread Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread EVE Corporation Path of Exile
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas Survivor II: The Amazon Sengoku Mafia TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
Russo-Ukrainian War Thread US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine YouTube Thread European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread
Fan Clubs
White-Ra Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread [Manga] One Piece Movie Discussion!
Sports
Formula 1 Discussion 2024 - 2026 Football Thread
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
TL+ Announced Where to ask questions and add stream?
Blogs
How Sleep Deprivation Affect…
TrAiDoS
I decided to write a webnov…
DjKniteX
James Bond movies ranking - pa…
Topin
Thanks for the RSL
Hildegard
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 1109 users

TSL to become first SC2 team with player salaries - Page 12

Forum Index > SC2 General
Post a Reply
Prev 1 10 11 12 13 14 17 Next All
loklok
Profile Joined January 2011
Germany161 Posts
March 14 2011 17:35 GMT
#221
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
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
United States1811 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-03-14 18:14:24
March 14 2011 18:09 GMT
#222
On March 15 2011 00:44 ffadicted wrote:
Show nested quote +
On March 14 2011 15:02 godemperor wrote:
30k is actually a lot more than it sounds than an average job in US/EU for 2 reasons:
1. This is 30k of disposable income, since they live in a team house and do not need pay rent or mortgage. Housing cost usually take around a quarter to a third of the total income.
2. Cost of living is lower in korea than the West.
3. Assuming FD and Tester stays in code S, he could get at least another 10k. Not to mention prize form other tournaments.
So 30k could easy equal to a lot more.


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
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
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.
"losers always whine about their best, Winners go home and fuck the prom queen"
Velocity`
Profile Joined December 2010
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
Profile Blog Joined November 2006
Poland5706 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
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
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
Developer for http://mtgfiddle.com
Qiang1446
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
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
Profile Joined August 2010
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
Profile Joined January 2011
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.
Always smile~
Vaeila
Profile Joined May 2010
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
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
United States99 Posts
March 14 2011 18:58 GMT
#231
On March 14 2011 14:46 Fayth wrote:
Show nested quote +
On March 14 2011 14:43 Nuri wrote:
wow not bad getting 31k usd just to play sc2 per year

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.
always go for the win!
hugman
Profile Joined June 2009
Sweden4644 Posts
March 14 2011 19:00 GMT
#232
I assumed all the major teams already had salaries
Hoku
Profile Joined September 2010
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.
I put my pants on two legs at a time.
HowSoOnIsNow
Profile Joined December 2010
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.
Real mens play Zerg.. Startale fighting.
cive
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
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 ^^
Play Terran
ptbl
Profile Joined January 2011
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.
Don't mind me
LegendaryZ
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
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
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
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
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Germany7494 Posts
March 14 2011 19:12 GMT
#239
On March 15 2011 03:48 duckducktiM wrote:
Show nested quote +
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


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)
Kevmeister @ Dota2
loklok
Profile Joined January 2011
Germany161 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-03-14 19:59:59
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".
Prev 1 10 11 12 13 14 17 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 7h 53m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
White-Ra 174
JuggernautJason98
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 13710
Sea 1374
Dewaltoss 88
ggaemo 48
NaDa 34
ajuk12(nOOB) 20
Dota 2
qojqva3200
Counter-Strike
fl0m6668
zeus465
Heroes of the Storm
Liquid`Hasu364
Other Games
Grubby3210
summit1g2296
Beastyqt786
ArmadaUGS154
QueenE105
C9.Mang067
Trikslyr63
ViBE37
ZombieGrub37
Organizations
Other Games
BasetradeTV87
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 17 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• LUISG 31
• Kozan
• sooper7s
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Migwel
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
StarCraft: Brood War
• 80smullet 27
• Pr0nogo 2
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
League of Legends
• Nemesis2270
• TFBlade1148
Other Games
• imaqtpie1533
• Shiphtur112
Upcoming Events
RSL Revival
7h 53m
StarCraft2.fi
13h 23m
IPSL
20h 23m
Sziky vs JDConan
OSC
20h 23m
Solar vs Percival
Gerald vs Nicoract
Creator vs ByuN
RSL Revival
1d 7h
Classic vs TBD
herO vs Zoun
WardiTV 2025
1d 16h
herO vs ShoWTimE
SHIN vs herO
Clem vs herO
SHIN vs Clem
SHIN vs ShoWTimE
Clem vs ShoWTimE
IPSL
1d 20h
Tarson vs DragOn
Replay Cast
2 days
Wardi Open
2 days
Monday Night Weeklies
2 days
[ Show More ]
Sparkling Tuna Cup
3 days
Replay Cast
5 days
The PondCast
5 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Acropolis #4 - TS3
RSL Revival: Season 3
Kuram Kup

Ongoing

IPSL Winter 2025-26
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 4
YSL S2
BSL Season 21
Slon Tour Season 2
WardiTV 2025
META Madness #9
SL Budapest Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 8
BLAST Rivals Fall 2025
IEM Chengdu 2025
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
Thunderpick World Champ.
CS Asia Championships 2025
ESL Pro League S22

Upcoming

BSL 21 Non-Korean Championship
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
Bellum Gens Elite Stara Zagora 2026
HSC XXVIII
Big Gabe Cup #3
RSL Offline Finals
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
IEM Kraków 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter Qual
eXTREMESLAND 2025
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.