- The LEC’s current format is quite rigid, with teams playing 18 best-of-one matches
- Several LEC teams have already been asked for their opinions on the change
- Perhaps Riot wants to make matches longer and more engaging these changes
Europe’s commissioner Maximilian Peter Schmidt talked about what format changes Riot has shown partnered teams for discussion.
Riot Plans Changes
League of Legends is nearing the end of its competitive year. The League of Legends European Championship has produced its winners and named its best players, and it is not time to start organizing next year’s competitions. However, 2023’s LEC format might have a different format as Riot is considering several changes ahead of the upcoming season.
The LEC’s next competitive year, which begins in January, might see fewer one-shot games played. Although nothing has been officially enacted, Riot has already shown the new format to a panel of “various” LEC team owners earlier this week. In an interview for the French publication L’Équipe, Europe’s new commissioner Maximilian Peter Schmidt explained that the options were put to a vote.
“We have always asked ourselves what we can do better for our partnered organizations, their staff and players,” Schmidt told L’Équipe.” Then we have to find a balance. Do we want to change the format? What will that look like? As with an expansion of the LEC, we will communicate about this change in due course.”
Why Does Riot Want to Change Things?
The LEC’s current format is very rigid. The teams play 18 matches across the course of two months for Spring before breaking for a six-team playoffs format. The spring Split’s winner then goes on to represent the region at the Mid-Season Invitational. After that, the Summer Split follows with a similar format with 18 more games, all best-of-ones, with six more teams in the finals bracket.
Although the current format is streamlined and effective at concentrating a lot of matches in a short period, the best-of-one games can be very quick. Perhaps the reason Riot wants to move to a different format is to make games longer and more engaging for viewers.
This would not be the first time Riot plans to make such changes. Back when the LEC was still called the EU LCS, the company had a couple of seasons where best-of-threes and best-of-twos systems were tried out. However, neither of the two lasted more than just a few splits.
