Faker Reportedly Revealed To Have A $6 Million Annual Salary

The Unkillable Demon King has no match. The known T1’s legendary mid laner, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, breaks records after records even beyond the Summoner’s Rift. With his talent, skills, and achievements, there is no doubt that he is earning more than six digits. In the recent reports from Korean news site, NAVER, they revealed Faker’s salary to be approximately $6 million USD annually. Definitely, his earnings alone can match or surpass another team’s entire roster budget. 

The GOAT Commands GOAT-Tier Compensation

He gets what he deserves. Faker’s legendary status in the League of Legends esports scene is indisputable given his achievements throughout his career. With that, it comes as no surprise that his salary reaches an astronomical figure. After all, he is the most decorated player in the game’s history after winning his fifth World title with T1 this year. He displayed impeccable performance that further solidified his status as GOAT in the industry. 

Moreover, his popularity also contributes to his immense value as a global brand ambassador for the team. Based on the reports, Faker’s compensation package accounts for a significant portion of T1’s total roster budget. This usually ranges between $7.5 million and $11.3 million USD annually, while Faker’s salary is approximately $6 million USD. 

These investments are just right given that Faker’s presence in the team significantly boosts their sponsorship deals. Besides, he attracts a significantly large following, including celebrities, which increased global attention. This also helps in their merchandise sales for the T1 organization. 

LCK Salary Gap

Following the revelation of Faker’s annual earnings, many have been curious about the other team’s salary. With this, they began looking up the financial capabilities of different organizations under the LCK. From there, it showed an interesting pattern, specifically the disparity between T1 and LCK teams’ roster budgets. Here is the total budget of top teams in 2024 in comparison to T1: 

• T1 leads the pack with a reported budget of approximately 10 billion won ($7.5-11.3 million USD).
• Hanwha Life Esports matches T1’s base budget at 10 billion won ($7.5 million USD).
• Gen.G operates with 7-8 billion won ($5.3-6 million USD).
• Dplus KIA maintains a roster budget of 6 billion won ($4.5 million USD).
• KT Rolster allocates 3 billion won ($2.3 million USD).

T1’s Investment in Their Franchise Player

Faker already had a long history with T1 from the time he was still carving his way up to victories. There is no question that the organization willingly maintains such a high salary for him after all his stellar performances. Besides, Faker’s value for the team goes way beyond his in-game contributions. 

He has been instrumental in building T1 since joining in 2013, where they’re still known as SK Telecom T1. Afterwards, he continuously helped the team win achievements that built their reputation. Eventually, it boosted their name into one of the most recognizable brands in the esports scene. Given his loyalty to the organization and exemplary skills, he became synonymous with T1’s identity and success.

Beyond the monetary compensation that T1 invested, the organization also earned a lot from the partnerships. Faker, being the face of the team, helped them secure numerous high-profile sponsorships and partnership deals. He stands as the most in-demand esports player for his immense popularity and reputation. With that, you can attribute their huge commercial success to him. 

Conclusion

T1 affirms their contract with Faker to stand until the Worlds 2025. With their successive Worlds success, T1’s brand also grows continuously. Faker’s salary appears to set the new benchmark for player compensation in the esports scene. Indeed, it is only right to reward their excellent contribution to the team, including those that go beyond in-game. For now, this just also proves how exceptional Faker is as a player and has no match in the league.