We’re just four weeks into the new era of North American competitive League of Legends, but fans are enthralled with what they’ve seen so far. From fewer one-sided stomps to more content outside the server, hope is fast returning for a region desperate for a win.
Positive feedback for the 2024 LCS Spring Split has been flowing for some time, with a Feb. 10 post on the League subreddit praising the league’s reform, primarily for how competitive the region has become. “I’ve been an avid League watcher since season six and this is the first time where there aren’t any ‘easy teams’ or ‘easy wins’,” one fan wrote.
These claims from fans come after a bumper super week of matches in week three and a myriad of exciting League games and results in week four. 100 Thieves snatched a 46-minute win over Cloud9 in what’s already been described as the match of the Spring season, while the end of yesterday’s matchday saw one win separate Team Liquid in third from NRG in sixth heading into the penultimate week of the regular season.
Some fans believe the drop to eight teams has “levelled up” the region, which in turn has built up expectations around the international stage; some are beginning to believe NA could damage overseas this year—but another fan disagrees, suggesting teams leaning more into the NA Challenger pipeline and “smarter roster construction” is why each squad is seeing results.
What remains to be seen is just how strong the 2024 LCS squads are in comparison with the rest of the League world. It’s all well and good to say a domestic region is more competitive in their ongoing campaign, but these performances must then be converted on the world stage. We’ll know for sure where NA stands come the Mid-Season Invitational in London in mid-March, but the consensus is the change to live patch play is forcing teams to adapt on the fly, with a variety of different champions making it through the draft.
Gameplay isn’t the only winning factor either. Others pointed out how entertaining the LCS broadcast has been, and not just for surprise results, but also for off-server content between series.
Unfortunately, some believe the mid-season break, which began today and is due to Riot Games sharing its studio with the VALORANT Champions Tour NA Kickoff, will spoil the momentum the league has built up and stunt viewership further.
Viewership for the LCS remains a talking point. Numbers appear on the up but primarily due to overlap as South American broadcasts wrap up and switch to NA coverage, with high concurrents dropping sharply as the first LCS series concludes.
Two weeks of the regular LCS split remain before NA’s best battle out for two tickets to London’s MSI with the Spring Split playoffs beginning on Thursday, March 14.
