Foremost among the bidders were rivals NC Barcelona and Madrid, who have clashed several times in and out of the dungeon. But ultimately, neither club could assemble the funds necessary to buy out Brad's 4-year contract.

Few can even speculate as to the nature of closely held Clan EIT's financial structure - but it appears the club is not at all hard-up for cash, or that they value superstar Brad's talents and publicity so much that they believe they can't afford to part with him.

Brad's advisers have said Brad is very pleased to be staying in the United States among friends and family. He is very popular with fans here, and a favorite among children.

EIT Samurai Durok remarked: "I've really enjoyed hacking with Brad, and I'm very happy he'll be staying around for another season. Also, Clan EIT 0Wnz j00!!"

Brad is an MVP of clan EIT, making his mark last season with a 110686328 point ascension during the /dev/null tournament. He also contributed significantly in EIT's summer tour of South East Asia, ascending several times in very hot and humid conditions.

Brad is due to arrive in Chicago on Friday after completing a promotional tour in Russia, Germany, and Moloch's Sanctum. He will then have only one day to prepare for a friendly match against the Gnome Town United squad.