BLEED Counter-Strike Roster Cuts Ties with Organisation Due to Non-Payment

By Tit Krajnik

11 Oct 2024

Tit Krajnik 11 Oct 2024

Share this article

BLEED Esports Counter-Strike roster cut ties with the Singaporean organisation
The decision was made due to alleged non-payment of salaries and other expenses
BLEED's other esports teams alleged same issues

BLEED Esports

On Friday, October 11, BLEED Esports Counter-Strike head coach Aleksandar "kassad" Trifunović released a statement that the remaining CS players and he cut ties with the Singaporean organisation. The decision was made due to the continuous issues with delayed salaries and non-payment of player buyouts, tournament prizemoney, and boot camp expenses.

With the announcement, kassad, and the remaining four players on the BLEED Esports Counter-Strike roster, including Joakim "jkaem" Myrbostad, Cai "CYPHER" Watson, Vladan "VLDN" Radević and Nemanja "nexa" Isaković cut ties with BLEED and will continue competing as an independent team.

In the statement that kassad posted on Twitter, he stated that BLEED failed to pay out salaries in time since the Singaporean organisation entered the Counter-Strike esports scene in December.

Moreover, BLEED failed to cover any bootcamp expenses, which were covered 50% by kassad and 50% by the players, as well as did not pay buyouts for several players nor paid the past tournament prize money.

"From the outset, we've grappled with delayed salary (up to four months at the time), buyout, bootcamp, and other payments. For reference, most of the players got their first salary in April, even though they signed contracts in December."

"Before the CQ for RMR, a bootcamp was organised and paid 50% by Kassad and the other 50% by players. Other organisations have confirmed that they have failed to pay buyouts for several players, threatening them with legal actions and going public with the information if they don't pay, and about 60% of the tournament prize money is still outstanding."

As stated by kassad, however, this is not an insulated incident.

Multiple other players from BLEED Esports' other divisions in Dota 2, VALORANT, and Rainbow Six Siege reached out with similar concerns. Moreover, several employees have regulary given notices about breaches of contract and delayed salaries.

As a result of the ongoing issues and damaged reputation of the organisation – which led to several players refusing to join kassad's project, the Serbian head coach and the remaining players decided to cut ties with the Singaporean organisation.

Kassad and co. will continue competing together under a new name, UNPAID. The team will appear in their next campaign in RES Regional Champions and ThunderPick World Championship at the end of the month.

Besides competing under a new moniker, UNPAID will also re-add nexa, who got benched in September, to the active lineup. Deyvid "h4rn" Benchev, who previously played for Pompa Team and 5W Gaming, will fill the final spot on the roster.

Latest News

See all