Riot Games' VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) features semi-franchised leagues across EMEA, the Americas, and the Pacific. The leagues offer a stable environment for partner teams, enabling long-term planning and revenue opportunities. This article delves into the teams that represent the Americas (North America, Brazil, and LATAM) for the VCT's 2024 season.
Cloud9
Cloud9 has been a part of North American esports since 2013 and entered the VALORANT scene in 2020. In 2021, they reached the quarter-finals of VALORANT Champions, eventually losing to Team Liquid. For the 2023 season, Cloud9 secured a 4th place finish in the VCT Americas League. They had a brief South Korean roster in 2020. Outside of VALORANT, they have been successful in several other esports titles, including League of Legends, CS:GO, and Halo.
100 Thieves
Founded in 2016 by former Call of Duty player Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag, 100 Thieves entered the League of Legends ecosystem in 2018. In VALORANT, they qualified for the 2022 Champions through North America’s last-chance qualifier and finished 8th in the VCT 2023 Americas League. The organization is affiliated with NBA team Cleveland Cavaliers and has diversified its portfolio to include various esports titles.
Sentinels
Originally established in 2016 as Phoenix1, the organization rebranded to Sentinels in 2018. They entered the VALORANT scene in 2020 and quickly gained prominence by winning the title’s first two Masters events. However, they finished 7th in the VCT 2023 Americas League. Apart from VALORANT, they have been successful in titles like Halo and Fortnite.
NRG
Founded in 2015 after the purchase of Team Coast, NRG had its most successful year in VALORANT in 2023. The organization secured a second-place finish in the VCT 2023 Americas League and a fourth-place finish at the 2023 Masters in Tokyo. They have also been successful in other titles such as Rocket League, Apex Legends, and Overwatch.