How One Email Forced a Very Reputable Esport Organization Into Hiding for Years and Years

BY hein / May 22, 2026

Today, dear readers, we bring you a story not for the faint of heart. This is not an article that fits into our regular repertoire but one that needs to be told nonetheless.

It all started one late summer day in September. Our fantastic newsroom had once again conjured a story worth reading, as we often do here at Kroket Lego. This particular day it was a story concerning a certain Lingo presenter and her scoring cleavage. The journalists, editors, and graphic designers had once again poured their hearts out and created yet another masterpiece, worthy of publication on this prestigious website. Late that night it was sent off to the printing press to be featured (above the fold!) in the next day's newspapers.

As we sat there taking in the sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing that we made the world a little bit better by providing it with much needed journalism in these trying times, none of us had a shimmer of what would be waiting for us a mere 3 years 8 months and 22 days later.

The 5th of June 2025, 12:45 Central European Summer Time. An email from the Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau struck the inbox of info@kroketlego.nl. Making bold claims like "most photos are copyrighted" and "you have to pay us to use our photographs".

With these preposterous statements we already knew there was no chance they would listen to reason. They demanded a ridiculous settlement of 741.13 euro. If you are familiar with our business model, you may know that we do not have that kind of liquid capital. Stronger even, it nearly bankrupted us last time!

After long consideration and weighing our options on the best of scales, our CFO had not only a solution, but also a plan! Gerard Eld (our CFO) had recently watched the first half of The Fugitive (1993) with Harrison Ford and oh wow Jeroen Krabbé is also in this? I never knew. So the first half of The Fugitive we did! We went on the lam from the rozzers and hid in our very own hiding place.

But after nearly a whole year of lying low, and nearly 4 years since our last correspondence (oops), we will no longer be silenced! Important things are happening in the world that need acknowledgement on kroketlego.nl! For instance the release of LEGO® BATMAN: LEGACY OF THE DARK KNIGHT™ and our imminent speedrun of LEGO® BATMAN: LEGACY OF THE DARK KNIGHT™! Be sure to tune in saturday May 30th at twitch.tv/krokanjer !