MAD Lions renews contracts for LEC championship-winning coaching staff

Reigning League of Legends European Championship title-holders, MAD Lions, announced on Thursday, Nov. 4 that the org will renew the contracts of Head Coach James “Mac” MacCormack (through November 2023), Strategic Coach Christophe “Kaas” van Oudheusden (through November 2022), Head of Player Development Patrick “Pad” Suckow-Breum (renewed through November 2023) and Analyst Carlos “Aagie” Carpio Cuenca (through November 2023).

“I’m thrilled to continue working with MAD Lions alongside such a talented group of coaching staff,” said Mac. “I consider myself extremely lucky to have worked with everyone inside the organization, from players, to support staff, to upper management – I’m truly grateful for our journey together over the past two years. Looking ahead, we strive to make our fans and community proud by continuing to grow and thrive within the LEC, and in doing so, deliver unforgettable experiences and moments that have become synonymous with MAD Lions.”

Mac has been a part of the team since 2018, before the org rebranded from Splyce. Since then, he’s been a critical part of the organization’s success within the LEC, leading the org to back-to-back domestic titles in 2021. He’s also been a vocal advocate for the promotion of player mental health and well-being within the LoL esports scene. 

Kaas joined MAD in 2019, while Pad and Aagie have been with the org since the start of 2021. According to the statement provided by MAD, their contributions have been integral to developing a positive staff culture and competitive strategic foundation within the organization. 

After a disappointing end to the 2020 season — where they bottomed out of the play-in stage of Worlds 2020 — MAD shocked the LEC in 2021 by winning two back-to-back championship titles, helped by the additions of top laner İrfan Berk “Armut” Tükek and jungler Javier “Elyoya” Prades Batalla. 

MAD’s Worlds 2021 run

Despite a rocky start at Worlds 2021, MAD inspired hope in European fans by defeating LNG Esports in a tiebreaker to escape Group D in second place. They went on to finish within the top eight at the tournament after losing to DWG KIA in a 3-0 sweep.

“MAD Lions recently wrapped their most successful season to date,” said Adam Adamou, Chief Strategy Officer of OverActive Media, the ownership group of MAD Lions. “As back-to-back split champions and advancing to the quarterfinals at the League of Legends World Championship, the team showed immense progress, really hitting their stride in 2021. Being able to continue with the same coaching staff who have had such a positive impact on the team puts us in a prime position as we begin planning for next year.”