[breadfan]

Parting, with his game face on at the MLG Winter Championships, is set to join SKT1.
Image: Liquipedia

Parting, formerly of ESF powerhouse team Startale, has been picked up by team SK Telecom T1. The announcement was made via SKT1 on twitter. The news comes days after Parting was accepted by KeSPA to join their ranks, according to Korean source ThisIsGame.

The world champion for StarCraft 2 had reportedly agreed to terms (including salary) with the KeSPA organisation. From thereon, interested teams each provided an offer via KeSPA. At this stage, it is understood that the only other bid came from KT Rolster. During the process known as posting, in the event that multiple bids are made, the allocation of Parting to a team will be made randomly, in the audience of KeSPA and individual team officials. It is currently unclear whether Evil Geniuses or Team Liquid will have an opportunity to bid for Parting, but it seems unlikely.

Parting won't be able to participate in ProLeague until round 4. The announcement from KeSPA states that overseas competition may be "freely played", which suggests we may see Parting make trips across the pond in the coming months. Pundits caution that it's unlikely many of the 7 potential Korean teams he ends up on would be willing to send him abroad once he can be activated as a player, due to an increasingly busy Korean domestic schedule.

Last year, SKT1 sent Rain to MLG to compete through the open bracket, but until then KeSPA players generally attended events only when seeded/invited.


Parting donning SKT1 jacket, beside SKT1 coach Boxer

Update: According to Team Liquid's translation of the Daily eSports post, SKT1's sole rival in the bidding for Parting was KT Rolster.