LA Guerillas Head Coach Speaks Out About The Guard Layoffs

The esports infrastructure is looking more fragile than it has ever done before, as yet another huge organisation has made mass layoffs - axing hard-working staff from their roles.

Over the last year or so, industry stalwarts have made countless cuts to staff. Teams such as OpTic Gaming, 100 Thieves, eUnited, FaZe Clan, and Team Liquid have been thinning out their companies. Even developers like Microsoft and Riot Games have been shrinking in size with people's jobs being taken away.

Now, The Guard has joined the trend, and despite a seemingly endless resource pool in the pockets of the multi-billionaire Kroenke family, the organisation has almost emptied its office staff and content roles.

The Guard Reportedly Want To Leave CDL and OWL

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As the owners of both Los Angeles Gladiators (Overwatch League) and Los Angeles Guerrillas (Call of Duty League), reports suggest that following the mass exodus of staff, the org wants out of their multi-million-pound contracts with the CDL and OWL. 

The report comes from Esportsgg, which claims that the ownership group (which also own Arsenal FC, Colorado Rapids, and the LA Rams) wants to leave the leagues at the end of the season.

This would mean that a suitable buyer for both slots would have to be found unless they find a loophole to leave the league short-changed.

LA Guerrillas Head Coach MarkyB 'Devastated' By The Guard Layoffs

As one of few people in the company that has been able to retain their place, the newly-appointed Los Angeles Guerrillas Head Coach Mark "MarkyB" Bryceland has now revealed how devastated he is by the layoffs.

Taking to Twitter, the reputable coach said, "I cannot put into words how devastated I am. I moved to LAG because of the organisation, the people behind the scenes. That's all gone now."

MarkyB joined the organisation in September 2022, coming after a three-year stint as the Toronto Ultra Head Coach where he piloted the team to a major championship title.

MarkyB Pledges That LA Guerrillas Will Play For The Fans, Not 'The Suits'

Amid the chaos though, MarkyB has claimed that the LAG players will continue to work through their on-field woes by playing for the fans and not "the suits" higher up in The Guard's hierarchy.

Continuing on Twitter, he said, "All I know for a fact is that the squad is going to put everything into the rest of this season. Not for the suits, for everyone else."

Los Angeles Guerrillas currently sit tenth (out of 12) in the CDL, and have failed to support their million-pound signing of Alec "Arcitys" Sanderson with a good enough trio of teammates.

What might be the most damning news is that the layoffs came just weeks after LAG blocked a buyout for Arcitys who wanted a move to OpTic Texas, which could have put a substantial cash sum on the table, although the finer details have eluded the public eye.