Victor Goossens, co-founder and co-CEO of Team Liquid, defended the VALORANT partnership system for 2027. He stated that even if the club were not selected, they would not broadly criticize the system and might instead continue competing with a lower-cost roster of young players.
Team Liquid is one of the 32 organizations that have secured partnership status for 2027 and 2028. At that time, the number of partner teams will be reduced from 48 to 32, with some organizations not selected having already withdrawn from the competition or beginning to reassess their future investments. Goossens acknowledged that partnership status is crucial for the club; although Team Liquid was confident in their selection, it was never guaranteed.
Goossens believes that partner teams receive relatively predictable returns, which helps professional organizations sustain investment, sign long-term contracts with players, and build player brands. On the other hand, non-partner organizations can still compete for prize money through cups, Majors, and the Global Championship. According to him, clubs outside the 32 partner teams can also share approximately $4 million in support funding, an arrangement he sees as balancing stability with open competition.
Discussing the hypothetical scenario where Team Liquid failed to be selected, Goossens stated that the club would likely still compete but would reduce costs by building a roster of young players with growth potential. However, he emphasized that this plan is merely speculation for a situation that has not occurred, and the final decision will depend on what kind of team can be assembled at that time.