Yet another massive change is hitting the LCS, this time impacting one of the few times a year a wider array of fans can interact with the competition in person.
In a new blog post today, Carlos Antunes, head of League of Legends esports in the Americas, announced that this year’s LCS Spring Finals on March 30 and 31 will take place in the Riot Games Arena, where LCS games are held normally, instead of appearing elsewhere as part of a roadshow. This follows last week’s news regarding massive layoffs at Riot Games that have impacted nearly every sector of the company and all of the products it creates.
“Revisiting our investments is not just an LCS consideration, and we’re following the steps of other regional leagues in adjusting the number of roadshows,” Antunes wrote. “ … Our goal is to prioritize what is most impactful for fans and players.”
Normally, the LCS travels twice a year, for both the Spring Finals and Summer Finals—also known as the LCS Championship. The league, as well as its many teams and players, take over the venue and surrounding town for the span of a weekend to host numerous fan events and bring together people from all over the world who share a passion for the LCS and all it has to offer.
Antunes did confirm that the LCS Championship will be the sole roadshow that the league takes this year later this summer, though did not announce dates nor where it will be located. Last year’s LCS Championship was held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey after previously being planned to be held at the venue before cancellation during the pandemic.
The 2024 LCS Spring Split has already instituted a number of changes aimed at benefiting the experience for both viewers and players, including decreasing the downtime between stage games, as well as becoming the only region to play games on live patches. Reception to these adjustments was almost immediately positive, with Antunes noting that the LCS team plans to go above and beyond for the Spring Finals rather than just make it “a typical day in the arena.”
The 2024 LCS Spring Finals will take place on March 30 and 31, while the regular season continues every Saturday and Sunday at 2pm CT.
Published: Jan 31, 2024 11:43 am