Team Liquid ECHO: An Exclusive Dive Into the Deal

AURA and ECHO, which belong to the same company, shocked the esports world as they announced the entry of Team Liquid into the fold. Effective today, the two Southeast Asian teams will be called Team Liquid AURA and Team Liquid ECHO. 

Team Liquid is one of the most storied and successful esports organizations in the world. Founded in 2000 in the Netherlands, Team Liquid has grown from a small StarCraft team into a multi-title powerhouse, boasting competitive squads in games like League of Legends, Dota 2, CS:GO, and Valorant. Team Liquid is consistently at the forefront of the esports scene, achieving numerous championships and cultivating some of the most talented players in the industry. Their move with AURA and ECHO is their first major foray into the MLBB scene. 

Team Liquid Acquires STUN.GG, AURA, and ECHO

Team Liquid is expanding its footprint into Southeast Asia by acquiring STUN.GG, a Southeast Asian esports organization that includes AURA Esports in Indonesia and ECHO in the Philippines. AURA and ECHO will be rebranded under the Team Liquid banner and will subsequently lead Team Liquid’s operations in the region.

The acquisition is part of Team Liquid’s global esports strategy, adding Southeast Asia to its existing portfolio, which includes North America, Latin America, and Europe. Team Liquid’s acquisition of STUN.GG is its first major purchase since aXiomatic Gaming—an esports and gaming investment group led by Peter Guber, Ted Leonsis, Bruce Karsh, and Jeff Vinik— gained a majority stake in the organization in 2016.

In a statement, AURA’s Chief Brand Officer Daniel Santoso, described the development as a dream come true.

“Joining Team Liquid is a dream come true,” said Santoso. “Liquid’s robust brand presence, competitive focus, and global strategy will empower us to achieve our goals on a grander scale. We believe in Team Liquid’s quest to build a global and multi-generational esports organization, and that was a key factor in this acquisition.”

Why did Team Liquid choose AURA and ECHO?

Victor Goossens, Co-CEO of Team Liquid, reiterated how AURA and ECHO reflected Team Liquid’s values and ideals, which helped seal the deal.

“We have always admired the intensity and loyalty of fans in Indonesia and the Philippines, which we’ve experienced firsthand in esports events in the past. When we saw an opportunity to strengthen our presence in Southeast Asia with these incredible competitive teams, we knew we had to do it with an organization built with the same values and philosophy as our own. We found that partner in the staff and fans of AURA and ECHO,” said Goossens.

ALL-STAR interviewed ECHO’s country manager Mitch Liwanag to shed light on how the deal came about. According to Liwanag, Team Liquid reached out to several teams but chose AURA and ECHO because of their shared values. 

“They have the same values as us, they have the same values as our CEO. I felt the same way about them as I did when I first met with AURA when they were trying to buy out our team, Sunsparks. They made time for us to listen to our goals and our future plans, and we gave them suggestions. They also care a lot about the players, which is the reason why AURA and ECHO also agreed to the acquisition by Team Liquid. It’s because they have the same values, goals, and mission as us,” Liwanag told ALL-STAR. 

According to Liwanag, Team Liquid reached out to AURA and ECHO in late 2023 and things were finalized in 2024. It was not just ECHO that revealed a new development with a foreign team. Days before the launch of Liquid ECHO, AP Bren revealed it has partnered with Team Falcon of Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, Onic Philippines has collaborated with the London-based esports team FNATIC.

But why are foreign entities suddenly buying into the MLBB PH scene?

“It means that Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is growing. It is no longer just confined to Southeast Asia, where it is very popular. It means MLBB is being recognized now by the world like how Dota and other titles are being recognized. That’s how powerful our reach is now,” Liwanag said. “There wouldn’t be opportunities like these if they see no potential in MLBB in its ability to compete with other titles on the world stage.”

Behind the Scenes: Team Liquid ECHO Shooting Their New Uniforms

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In the Philippines, ECHO is known for fostering a nurturing environment for its professional esports players, whose ages range from 16 to 24. Player welfare is a non-negotiable item in ECHO’s books. It crafts ways to ensure the players are mentally, emotionally, and physically well. Every day, the players would go out to play basketball or work out in their gym despite having a busy schedule. 

“We will learn a lot from this acquisition because they have a different culture and they’ve been around for a longer time. I’m very excited about learning how they operate since they’ve been in the industry for so long. At the same time, they’re very open. They listen intently to our staff and our players and ask for suggestions. They’re the type of people who listen if we disagree with them,” said Liwanag.

Will there be changes in the team roster or management at ECHO? 

One of the things that led to the acquisition by Team Liquid of ECHO was the trust between the two teams. According to Liwanag, meetings with Team Liquid made the two parties realize how much their vision and goals were so aligned. Team Liquid believes in the shared vision with AURA and ECHO nothing has changed in the organization. Everyone retained their positions. 

Nothing is changing in ECHO or AURA in terms of player rosters, management, and staff except for the team jerseys and the brands’ names. 

‘I was manifesting Team Liquid in 2020.’

According to Liwanag, she’s been a fan of Team Liquid ever since they started in 2000. “Who doesn’t know Team Liquid! They’re the OGs!” said Liwanag. 

“I was manifesting Team Liquid in 2020. When we started as AURA, I would always look at the posts of Team Liquid. I would always look at their photos and jerseys, and I would always check their website. I said to myself that someday, we will also be as big as Team Liquid. I never expected it would come true!” Liwanag told ALL-STAR.

Now, ECHO is wearing the same jersey as Team Liquid.  

New Look: Team Liquid ECHO Jerseys

ALL-STAR got a first look at the stylish new jerseys of Team Liquid ECHO. 

ECHO has dropped its purple colors in exchange for Team Liquid’s signature dark blue

The jersey features a stylized silhouette of Team Liquid’s horse logo, which symbolizes strength and determination. We also see new sponsor logos on the sleeves: Alienware, Monster Energy, and Honda—sponsors that ECHO automatically picked up by virtue of its acquisition by Team Liquid. This adds a significant bump to ECHO’s portfolio, which also includes leading health and beauty retailer, Watsons. 

Team Liquid ECHO is competing in the MPL Philippines Season 13 with an upper-bracket spot. Its first match in the Playoffs is on May 23 against RSG. The MPL Philippines Season 13 Playoffs is happening on May 22 to 26 at the Events Hall in SM Southmall in Las Pinas.