It looks like Riot Games and the LCS have reached a new all-time low. Just weeks after Riot Games unilaterally decided to axe the tier two LoL Esports scene in North America, players are now fighting back. Spearheaded by the NA LCS Players Association, an overwhelming majority of LCS players have voted in favor of abandoning competitions organized by Riot Games until the issues are resolved. At the same time, Riot Games is putting the onus on ‌LCS teams, forcing them to find replacement players and threatening them with legal actions in order to honor sponsorship deals. 

NA LCS Player Association goes on strike and boycotts 2023 LCS Summer Split

So how did we get here? Well the NA LCS LoL has been struggling for quite a while. After years of questionable budget mismanagement and roster constructions leading to poor international performances, fans and players have had enough. There are barely any NA LCS players who originate from the region, and those that came from abroad mostly cared about cashing the check, not their performance. The Covid pandemic and ensuing recession crippled corporate capital and the hard truth came to light. Esports is not profitable. 

Riot gave each team $3 million this year to operate in LCS + NACL, but only 3 could afford to spend 15-20% of that to promote the future of NACL? Shame on Riot for letting teams get away with it and shame on every team that pocketed the future of the league. pic.twitter.com/cop8gne6rI

— LCS Players Association (@NALCSPA) May 18, 2023

CLG sold their LCS slot, TSM lost their main sponsor in FTX, and are now looking to change regions. Instead of implementing a new format, Riot Games changes LCS broadcast times to favor the newly franchised Valorant scene. This effectively put the nail in the coffin. Nobody in North America was tuning in at 1 PM to watch competitive League of Legends, and sponsors started pulling out. LCS teams were facing the harsh reality and asked Riot Games to reduce their costs.

Mainly by proposing to lift the rule that mandated LCS teams to field a roster in the NACL. The NA Challengers League is what remains of the former LCS Academy system. The NA LCS LoL tier two scene which functions similarly to the NBA’s G League, in order to promote growth and development. Riot Games agreed without consulting the LCS PA, leaving most of its members unemployed overnight.

https://t.co/yhcr15P1sX pic.twitter.com/f2gcOCoUCA

— LCS Players Association (@NALCSPA) May 23, 2023

Riot Games forces LCS teams to find replacement players willing to Scab

Of the 10 NA LCS teams, only three announced that they will continue supporting the NACL and field rosters there. TSM LoL and Immortals LoL were among the first to bounce. This meant that around 70 members of the NA LCS Players Association lost their jobs. Despite Riot Games reassuring and effectively lying to the player union that no format changes would take place during the competitive LoL Esports season. Most of the young players who just flew to LA to sign new contracts with NACL teams and begin practicing are now looking for a new opportunity. According to reports, Riot Games refused to sit down and talk with the NA LCSPA. A single press release was the only explanation they gave. Riot Games commits to the development of the LoL Esports scene in North America.

pic.twitter.com/dr4aHrpv8T

— LCS Players Association (@NALCSPA) May 29, 2023

But actions speak louder than words, and the NA LCS PA finally started taking action. On May 28, 2023, during the late Sunday hours LA time, the LCS PA agreed to boycott the start of the 2023 LCS Summer Split, scheduled for this Thursday, June 1. In response to this, Riot Games has granted LCS LoL teams permission to sign additional players post the roster lock deadline. Teams are contractually obligated by Riot Games to field a roster and play, which has its own sponsorship deals to attend to. 

Former NACL players offered LCS contracts to revoke the strike

In order to make all of this happen, LCS teams have spent the last week going around offering contracts to amateur players leading up to the vote. To make the irony even greater, they offered contracts to players that were left unemployed by their previous decisions. The NA LCSPA has been aware of this, and issued a statement on potential scab players, who would be willing to violate the strike policy and undermine all unionizing action done by the LCS PA for short-term monetary gain. In a game of chicken and mouse, Riot Games is losing face in front of most of its partners.

Here's a recap of what's happening in NA with the LCS and the NACL (NA Challengers League // academy teams) for those who haven't kept track:

1. LCS teams have requested Riot to eliminate the requirement of fielding NACL teams.

2. Riot has agreed to this request, citing the… pic.twitter.com/tvKz9iALvi

— LEC Wooloo (@LEC_Wooloo) May 29, 2023

The minimum requirement to play in the NA LCS is to be at least Diamond 1 in ranked queues, so that leaves NA LCS teams and Riot Games with around 10 000 options for the starting rosters come Thursday. If it would get to that point, it would be one hell of a disaster, since all those matches would count and be registered internationally. Only time will tell if Riot Games will give up on their stubborn ways and sit down with the LCSPA, rather than making more threats and ill-advised decisions.