2020 is coming to an end, and it’s time take a glimpse back at what happened throughout the year. Today we’ll have a look at the top-earning esports teams in 2020!
The esports scene switched to an online format (with a few exceptions) in 2020 due to the global pandemic. While many esports teams withdrew from competing as a whole others found great success in the hardest of times. Here are the top 10 teams with the highest earnings in 2020!
10. Team Secret: $1,122,570
Team Secret had a very successful year in Dota 2. That’s also where the majority of their earnings come from. Secret were considered unstoppable for months as they claimed title after title. After their eight victory, the team finally lost during ESL One Germany where they took fourth place.
9. Natus Vincere: $1,123,558
Na’Vi are slightly ahead of Secret in prize money but they have the clear lead in the number of titles. The Ukrainian org had newfound success after signing a brand-new Dota 2 roster. Their CS:GO team is the main contributor to the earnings with the biggest chunk coming from Intel Extreme Masters XIV where they won $250,000. Natus Vincere are also competing in Rainbow Six, PUBG, and Apex Legends.
8. Atlanta FaZe: $1,187,500
Just like the name suggests Atlanta FaZe is a partnership between FaZe Clan and Atlanta Esports Ventures. Unlike the previous two organizations on the list, Atlanta FaZe compete only in a single title – Call of Duty. Placing second in this year’s Call of Duty Championship earned them $900,000 and secured them a spot on the list.
7. Team SoloMid: $1,209,672
TSM’s top contributing titles for 2020 are League of Legends, Rainbow Six, and Valorant. The organization was quick to announce a Valorant roster, and that certainly paid off. TSM is still one of the top teams in the Valorant NA region. In Rainbow Six, the team took third place at the Six Invitational 2020 and multiple second finishes in numerous events. Most recently, they won the Six November 2020 Major NA. In LoL, TSM won the LCS Summer 2020 but had a disappointing run in Worlds.
6. G2 Esports: $1,246,605
G2 were on fire in 2020 and it came as no surprise that the team won in more than one category during the Esports Awards 2020. G2 Esports won the LEC Spring and LEC Summer in 2020 and then finished 3-4th at Worlds. G2 also found great success in Riot’s Valorant and to this day remains the top team in Europe. The organization’s teams in CS:GO, Rainbow Six and Rocket League also contributed to the earnings.
5. Virtus.pro: $1,381,915
The Russian bears are also one of the organizations that compete in numerous titles. Despite that their two big earners remain CS:GO and Dota 2. In early December VP secured first place at Flashpoint Season 2 with a victory over OG. This alone brought in $500,000 in prize money. Roughly a week later the Dota 2 team won against OG in the EPIC LEAGUE for another $200,000. They're also taking care of a real bear!
4. Spacestation Gaming: $1,382,884
Spacestation Gaming’s earning are also coming from mainly two titles – Rainbow Six and Rocket League. The Rainbow Six team won the Six Invitational 2020 and got $1 million for it. They maintained their form throughout the rest of the year, winning a few more events and placing in the top 5 in the remaining ones. SG also placed second at the Rocket League Championship Series Season 9, losing only to G2 Esports.
3. Team Liquid: $1,567,502
Liquid competed a lot this year. Like really, A LOT. Their performance in CS:GO was definitely not what we saw in 2019 but they were still seen at the highest levels. In Dota 2, the team was at almost every possible event in 2020. They managed to defeat Team Secret during ESL One Germany and then took the champions' title. Team Liquid may be lacking solid results in 2020 but their active participation made up for it in terms of earnings. Throughout 2020 they've competed in over 200 tournaments!
2. San Francisco Shock: $1,635,000
Many of the other organizations on the list compete in more than one title. That’s not the case with San Francisco Shock. The first back-to-back champions in the Overwatch League have earned their keep. In 2020 the team won OWL Grand Finals, earning a staggering $1.5 million. Pair that up with a couple more events and their second place on the list is well-deserved.
1. Dallas Empire: $1,797,504
Much like San Francisco Shock, Dallas Empire have been the dominant team in their title – Call of Duty. The organization won a number of events throughout the year, but their most important victory came in August at the Call of Duty League finals. They managed to best Atlanta FaZe, grabbing $1.5 million in prize money.
The list of top-earning teams in 2020 is quite different from what we’ve seen in the past. Usually, the biggest earners were teams that made it to the playoffs of The Dota 2 International. This year the event wasn’t held, and the list is arguably a much better reflection of 2020 and the individual achievements of each team.
For more esports and gaming news check EarlyGame or the EarlyGame YouTube channel.
