[Update] The rumor mill has been churning over the last few months that the League of Legends EMEA Championship could become an online league. This includes a recent claim from co-streamer Kim “Wadid” Bae-in, but Riot has denied the claims.
LEC Director Max Schmidt told The Esports Radar that the Berlin Arena will remain the LEC headquarters: “We will continue to evaluate and evolve our production approach, including formats like Roadtrips, select no-audience match days, and the potential for limited online play.”
While the “full online by 2027” rumors are likely untrue, this statement doesn’t rule the option out completely. Either way, I still think it makes sense to change the LEC to an online format.
[Original] The recent online speculation comes from Wadid, who was clipped and posted to Reddit and X, stating a trusted source tells him it’s likely happening.
This is the most recent, high-profile comment on the league going online. Previously, Richard “Rich” Wells, the former H2K owner and now agent in the scene, has also hinted at rumours.
Back in January, Rich began a new segment on his Euroleague podcast about the LEC possibly becoming an online league, as the rumour mill suggested at the time.
“I think something that is worth mentioning as well. And this isn’t confirmed, it is largely rumor mill or whatever, there is a suggestion that the LEC… We’ve been seeing all the cutbacks they’ve been making on the broadcast that there’s a serious suggestion that the league could go fully online,” he said.
A third, unintentional hint for the 2027 online rumors emerged from Kim ‘Noah’ Ha-neul, the bot laner for GiantX. In a YouTube interview with Spanish co-streamer Skain, live at the LEC Studio, Noah mentioned that he had heard that in the coming years, matches might be held in Málaga, the home base of the GiantX organization.
Though this is less concrete, SK Gaming already operates from SK’s home base in Cologne and commutes to Berlin for game days.
Rumors keep pointing to LEC going online because it just makes sense to do it
As Rich said, it’s about money and cutbacks.
Ever since Esports Winter began two years ago, amid the 2024 tech cutbacks, in a world now dominated by AI investment, esports and, naturally, gaming are taking a back seat to funding. Throw on top financial issues, rising interest rates, and taking on loans and investments, and it’s more costly than ever. Esports is notorious for its inability to generate returns on investment, with many products and organizations often relying on venture capital to stay afloat.
With that pond drying up, it’s naturally relying on harder cash reserves, and consequently, cost-cutting is fairly natural in the scene. It’s part of the reason why Franchise is as lucrative as it is, as it keeps a long-term investment incredibly secure for those who bought in, and seems to be making money back, especially for organizations selling or partially selling, like in the Astralis situation, sharing a slot with Karmine Corp.
We strongly recommend looking at the Four Horsemen episode for some pretty important background on why Franchising became a thing. And why it’s foolhardy to expect that to go away as of right now.
We’ve even seen evidence that there’s no prize money in the regional leagues anymore. A sign of further adjustments to what money there is and of sticking it elsewhere. Though let’s be real, who actually cares about prize money in a franchise league, when it’s all about selling sponsor money, esports skins, and sharing that pie to franchise teams anyway.
The LEC Is not really the product anymore
The last few years have been characterized by rather passionate national-focused teams. The KOI brand and Kameto have lurked in the background for many years, often partnering with Rogue (at least before dumping that deal), then with Mad Lions, and now forming the brand we know as KOI, capturing a large portion of the Spanish audience.
The likes of Heretics, another popular Spanish org, albeit not as big in LoL as KOI, also help to bring a captured Spanish audience to the scene. Then, the biggest is the French organization Karmine Corp, which has by far the most passionate fans in the EU.
The thing both of these teams have in common is their post-COVID-era popularity. These teams were formed online through personalities and their streaming communities. They grew so much that they were able to acquire the esports organization, leading to the emergence of some amazing local esports events in France and Spain in recent years.
To capitalize on this success, Riot has introduced Roadshows in collaboration with KOI and KC, taking the studio to venues in France and Spain where teams compete in regular week matches, drawing large crowds. Additionally, KC events featuring teams like T1 have also attracted significant audiences.
Fast forward to the present year: Caedrel, along with other streaming personalities and renowned esports players, have amassed massive followings. The LEC Versus, combining Spanish, French, and English with Los Ratones fans, has broken viewing records in all three languages, showcasing a shift towards focusing on personalities rather than just the LEC’s content.
It now seems feasible to host the LEC online to cater to the expanding fanbase of LoL Esports in Europe, as streamers are already heavily involved in engaging with fans.
While traditional hype matches continue to draw attention, such as the G2 versus KC finale which became one of the top 5 most-watched finales in League history.
Looking ahead, rumors suggest that the LEC will transition to an online format, with occasional Roadshows offering live games during key weeks or fixtures like playoffs. This approach aims to bring fans back to arenas to support their favorite teams during important matches.
League NEXT is set to debut in 2027, introducing League of Legends 2.0 with new champions and features that promise to inject excitement into the scene. Whether played online or in person, these developments could elevate the LEC experience and prevent the decline of esports.
Regarding content quality, there may be a slight decline with fewer in-person interviews and shows like Euphoria disappearing. However, the core gaming content is expected to remain largely unchanged, ensuring a consistent viewing experience for fans.
While a return to the online cup qualifying system of 2012 may be desirable, the financial stability provided by franchising makes it unlikely. The hope for a more open-circuit format remains a distant possibility, dependent on the evolution of the esports landscape.
Looking towards the future, the 2030s may hold the key to revitalizing EU esports and League of Legends, offering potential solutions to current challenges in the industry.