The Oceanic region’s premier League of Legends league will return on March 20, the OPL announced today. The rest of the split will be played online, however.
After just a week break from competition, the OPL is following the lead of other global esports leagues, like the LPL and the Overwatch League, by having their matches played online. This is, of course, to reduce any excessive personal interactions between players, staff, and fans while the rampant spreading of COVID-19 continues.
The OPL said it will “continue to monitor the situation against their plan” and will “keep the public updated of any further changes.” The game calendar has been updated on the League esports page to reflect the rescheduled matches.
Although online play will most likely introduce an element of inconsistency or randomness to a pro setting, like ping spikes or technical issues, it’s commendable that the OPL is essentially continuing without a hitch.
The Recall and Restore round, a joint initiative between the OPL and Headspace that aimed to raise awareness of mental health issues, has been postponed until a later date.
You can watch Avant Gaming and Legacy Esports face off this Friday, March 20 at approximately 12am CT.
