South Korean esports organisation Dplus KIA has released a statement addressing financial difficulties, officially confirming a one-month delay in player roster salary payments and revealing that a corporate sale process is currently underway.
Following the news first reported by Korean publication Daily Esports, the organisation’s front office apologised to its fan base and partners on X, explaining that cash flow disruptions were triggered by administrative delays in final coordination phases to welcome a new majority owner.
To systematically coordinate the sale of the organisation, Dplus KIA has formally retained a professional M&A advisory firm. While the front office is continuing deep administrative negotiations with its primary prospective buyer, they have concurrently opened channels with alternative qualified buyers.
The elongated review and advisory processes required for this high-impact transition choked the organisation’s cash reserves, directly causing the payment disruption across their active competitive rosters, including their flagship League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) division.
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In its formal release, Dplus KIA emphasised that the decision to undergo an asset sale was a calculated management choice to unlock a larger scale of capability and global competitiveness. The organisation stated that welcoming a new owner remains the most viable pathway to guarantee continuous leaps forward and a sustainable future for the team and its players. Furthermore, the administration expressed gratitude to its rosters and coaching staff, who were briefed on the cash flow delays beforehand and chose to maintain training operations without disruption.
The financial friction comes at a delicate competitive juncture for Dplus KIA. Under official LCK league regulations, players have the right to request immediate contract termination if salary payments are delayed by a full month—a policy designed by Riot Games to ensure player welfare and financial security. The potential roster and franchise implications have pushed the organisation to prioritise immediate operational normalization. “The most important and absolutely non-negotiable value for our organisation is the ‘stable environment and activities of our players,'” Dplus KIA affirmed, pledging to mobilise all organisational resources to restore financial equilibrium.
Dplus KIA reported a challenging 2025 financial year. Revenue dropped over 25% to roughly $5.3M due to declining prize money and fan engagement, while operating losses doubled to ~$2.3M. Meanwhile, fellow Korean organisations such as T1 and NS RedForce, went to the opposite direction by reporting 2025 as their first profitable year in history.
Despite the current behind-the-scenes financial restructuring, Dplus KIA had otherwise maintained an active commercial footprint throughout 2026. Only four months ago, the organisation bolstered its player health and hardware infrastructure by onboarding health and supplement brand Nutri D-DAY as its official nutrition partner, alongside a physical support deal with ergonomic chair manufacturer AndaSeat. Additionally, just six months prior, the club celebrated a logistical milestone by renewing its landmark partnership with hardware manufacturer Logitech G for an eighth consecutive year, marking one of the longest-running, most stable commercial sponsorship relationships across the entire LCK ecosystem.
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