The future of FC Barcelona in electronic sports could go through more titles. As Alejandro Gomis has advanced «anonymous«, journalist of Blix, Barcelona would be interested in having a VALORANT team for the future. The blaugrana club would be studying the entrance to the VRL USA: Rising following Riot Games’ changes to VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT). The culés could take advantage of the prohibition of academies in the regional leagues for the organizations that are part of the franchise system.
According to anonymous and Bo Hooglandjournalist from Dexerto, Riot Games will not allow VALORANT franchises to have academies in regional leagues. The decision would be motivated by the promotion system that the developer plans to implement. Riot would like to prevent academies from playing promotion tournaments and therefore have two teams from the same club in the top flight. This could affect the VRL USA: Rising since some clubs like KOI would have possibilities to be part of the franchise program.
Given this situation, FC Barcelona would be interested in expanding its electronic sports section by entering VALORANT. The culés would be studying the arrival at the VRL USA: Risingemulating the process they did with League of Legends in late 2021. After years competing in Rocket League, Pro Evolution Soccer and Hearthstone, Barça Esports made the jump to one of the most important titles in the Super League. The situation would also be taking place in France, where Solary would like to do the same by entering the VRL France: Revolution.
FC Barcelona would seek to reaffirm its commitment to electronic sports two years after its former president Josep Maria Bartomeu stated that the club was no longer betting on the industry because “80% of esports are violent.” Dídac Lee, former director of FC Barcelona, explained to ESPM News at the time that Bartomeu wanted to refer to the shooters explicit as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) or Rainbow Six Siege. Currently the main activity of Barça Esports is in League of Legends and Pro Evolution Soccer.