Riot Games and LCS Players Association drama explained

After the tension between the LCS Players Association (LCSPA) and Riot Games leads to a potential walkout, the start of the 2023 LCS Summer split appears to be in jeopardy.

The conflict between Riot Games and the LCS Players Association (LCSPA) began after Riot Games released a significant update on May 13 about the future of the North American Challengers League (NACL), which is the tier-two scene of the LCS. According to the announcement, LCS franchises were no longer obligated to field academy rosters. 

Due to financial worries during the “esports winter,” LCS teams have long desired the option to withdraw from the academy league. Immediately after the announcement from Riot Games, well-known organizations such as Cloud9, Immortals, 100Thieves, and TSM progressively withdrew from the developing competition. Only three groups, Evil Geniuses, Team Liquid, and FlyQuest, chose to continue playing in the NACL. As a result of Riot’s decision to drop the mandate, the NACL reportedly lost up to 70 positions for players, coaches, and managers, according to LCSPA.

LCS Players Association takes a stand against Riot’s decision 

Many LCS players, both new and seasoned, expressed their discontent with Riot’s move, emphasizing that more than half of the current LCS pros rose through the Academy system. Riot’s ignorance of the situation led players to vote in favor of a walkout, creating a pivotal event in the LCS’s history. The LCSPA stated that it is aggressively contacting players outside of the LCS and requesting that they decline the offer to play for any LCS organization as a substitute.

The LCSPA provided a list of adjustments they hope Riot Games will consider and implement. A promotion and relegation system between the LCS and the NACL, revenue pools for NACL salaries, and one-year contract guarantees for LCS players who win the summer finals are among the demands made by the LCSPA.  The Association continued by asserting that Riot Games’ actions—taken without consulting or notifying the players—were to blame for the stalemate. To prevent the walkout, the LCSPA has also invited the publisher to an open meeting with the players.

In response, Riot Games is said to have permitted the ten franchise teams to recruit replacement players after the roster deadline in order to ensure that the tournament proceeds as scheduled. According to content creator Travis Gafford, Riot has also temporarily abolished the solo queue ranking requirement for the LCS, giving any players—even those with the lowest rankings—access to the league.

Header: Riot Games