The Roster That Showed Untapped Potential Disbands: The New England Whalers
The New England Whalers have officially retired after two years of competing in the North American scene. Their rise to fame came from raw talent after designing an unforgettable roster near the start of 2020. While things started to pick up for the NE Whalers, streams of financial backers started to die down. The North American powerhouse was recently informed by their sponsor Greenhouse Agency that they wouldn’t receive funding for their 2021 season. This was a shock to everyone considering their performances at ESEA Season 35 and IEM New York. Co-Founder Diego Freitas has made it clear that his talented roster is up for grabs after he helped promote their free agency in competitive Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO).
MEET THE TEAM
In 2019, the NE Whalers began their journey in CS:GO with a South American roster that eventually moved onto Paquetá Esports. ESEA Season 31 was their stepping stone to success in the industry of competition. They finished in sixth-place after losing to V8 eSports in the quarterfinals. An offline event known as Fragadelphia allowed the NA Whalers to shine on stage for the first time ever. This was when their North American roster was introduced to the organisation back in December of 2019. Marc-Andre “NiSMO” Tayar, Jonathan “djay” Dallal, Lucas “Fiziq” Blow, Brandon “bew” Roberts, and Josh “PwnAlone” Pigue was the starting lineup for the NCS Grand Finals. They finished in fourth-place along with two thousand dollars, a milestone for the org at the time.
Sean Roche saw potential within the NE Whalers, which led to his first investment. As the CGO for Greenhouse Agency, Roche felt that an up and coming esports team was an ideal project at the time. They were becoming household brands, and investors wanted in early before they controlled the market. Co-Founders Freitas and Devon Foote had previously worked for Apple and Tesla, making them ideal candidates to build a startup company. With a combination of talented players and plump wallets, the NA Whalers were ready for their 2020 season. The first six months were pure pain, but Roche pulled through and focused on the positives behind his latest investment. The NE Whalers didn’t become a threat up until IEM New York, before that event they were rookies in the community.
TOURNAMENT RESULTS
After receiving recognition from C-Tier events, the NE Whalers were invited to WINNERS League Season 4; a two-month event with a prize pool worth fifteen thousand dollars. Sixteen teams battled it out just to earn a spot in the playoffs, and the NE Whalers were one of those teams. They absolutely destroyed Recon 5 and went home with fifteen hundred dollars. After spending months in the C-Tier scene, the NA Whalers moved onto even bigger events.
IEM New York provided the lineup with confidence and financial security. In New York, they had a legendary run against FURIA before the playoffs. They beat the Brazilian legends 2-0 which earned them a slot against Team oNe. The NA Whalers were able to stand their ground against a well-known team while playing tight and aggressive angles.
After earning an invite to IEM Beijing, the NE Whalers had a lot to prove. They had just earned a sixth-place finish at IEM New York and were looking to capitalise on it. Chaos Esports Club was on fire that event and beat the NE Whalers 2-0 in their group match, sending the rookie lineup back home where they faced the drawing board. After realising they were in need of some serious practice, the NE Whalers put their focus towards ESEA. They finished in second-place right behind Team oNe and had a great run with seventeen victories and three losses.
FINANCIAL TROUBLES
The majority owner of the NE Whalers made an official statement on behalf of his team’s financial troubles. Due to the pandemic, Greenhouse Agency has restricted their clients due to a fall in revenue. Greenhouse Agency’s very own Sean Roche has made it clear that he wants to make a return to esports someday. He hasn’t yet stated if it will be with the NE Whalers, but that’s definitely a possibility. Freitas has praised his roster for their hard work and professionalism as competitive gamers. The NE Whalers were on a steady climb to becoming one of the best teams in North America. For now, they’ll have to depend on streamers and future investors willing to fund their project.
PLAYER TRANSFERS
A team that could really make use of these free agents is an organisation-less team called Rugratz. They’re based in North America and have three open spots on their roster. While Jeff “RZU” Ngo and Justin “FaNg” Coakley are great players, the ex-NE Whalers lineup is amazing. If Rugratz are in the midst of writing up contracts, then they better speed things up. If not, another North American org will swing by and grab the whole team with ease.
Images via Intel Extreme Masters | New England Whalers
