The League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) is currently ongoing and has seen a soar in players flocking to watch the league. After breaking its launch weekend numbers on Friday, today’s MAD Lions and Karmine Corp match pushed viewership to new heights.
Since 2023, the LEC has seen 10 teams from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa clash in seasonal leagues for a chance to get to the coveted World Championships. Naturally, as one of the biggest League leagues, the LEC brings in a solid audience, but this number has been stagnating since 2021, reaching a five-year low in 2023. In a sudden reversal of fortune, however, things are looking brighter than ever as the battle between MAD Lions and Karmine Corp on Jan. 15 saw the LEC main stream reach nearly 750,000 viewers according to stat-tracking website Esports Charts.
Since the league’s kickoff on Jan. 13, the numbers have been more than favorable. Players tuned in for all the matches, and though there were fluctuations in raw viewership, this year’s winter split has already surpassed the previous year even without MAD and KC’s head-to-head. Both of these teams particularly saw high viewership in other matches, culminating in their ultimate battle of skills. MAD Lions emerged as the winners of the encounter.
There are a number of factors to consider as to why the LEC, and in particular this head-to-head, has broken recent records for viewership. The major 14.1 update landing last week brought sweeping changes to how League is played and fans are eager to see how the pros approach the Rift. Both organizations also made massive changes in the off-season, with Karmine Corp themselves making a debut in this split.
The split resumes again on Jan. 20, and the numbers are foreshadowing a very successful year and a timely return to form for the prime EMEA league and competitive League as a whole.
Published: Jan 15, 2024 11:25 pm