Cloud9 Signs All-Women Valorant Squad for Inaugural Female Esports Team
Cloud9 acquires the MAJKL roster to form Cloud9 White, marking the organization's first-ever women's esports team backed by a new AT&T sponsorship.
Cloud9 adds the all-women MAJKL Valorant roster to create Cloud9 White, which serves as the organization's first women's esports team. The squad features players Alexis "alexis" Guarrasi, Annie "Annie" Roberts, Jasmine "Jazzyk1ns" Manankil, Katsumi, and Melanie "meL" Capone, and competes in Riot Games' competitive circuit with sponsorship backing from AT&T.
As the former MAJKL roster, the team already claims a first-place finish at the FTW Summer Showdown tournament. This $25,000 prize makes the squad the sixth highest-earning team in the Valorant Ignition Series. Cloud9 senior general manager Gaylen Malone praises the players for their hard work, noting that their rapid improvement over the past few months is incredible to watch.
This acquisition highlights the ongoing gender gap in competitive gaming, where very few women reach the elite tier of esports teams. Female gamers frequently face harassment and unequal treatment that drive them away from the sport. AT&T representative Shiz Suzuki states that this partnership aims to spark meaningful change by giving talented women the support they need to succeed on the world's largest stages.