LOL: The first audience crisis in LEC reveals the problems of European competitive

The European competition of League of Legends faces one of the first adverse situations in its history in relation to number of spectators. The start of the Summer Split of LEC 2022 has signed spectators figures below any expectation, giving rise to an average of visualizations by 30% lower if compared to the same edition of the tournament last year. This loss of interest has also been evident in all languages in which retransmission is carried out, the only country that has registered growth being.

• The European competitive staggers at the Summer Split of LEC
• A systematic problem and not a specific crisis

The European competitive staggers at the Summer Split of LEC

The data has been collected by the always reliable eSports Charts page, specialized in the measurement of audiences in electronic sports and also collect the possible causes. The European League of Legends competition has had to measure great competitive events from other video games or even the evening of year 2, which decreased the number of LVP viewers by almost 50% during their broadcast hours. However, they are also ratifying a trend that has already been reflected in spring: spectators quickly lose interest in competition.

Even if during the first week of spring competition large spectators figures were harvested, these quickly were reduced below the average values recorded in 2021 . Something similar happened during the first week of competition this summer, although in this case the first audience peak did not even exist. In this sense, we are not sure to what extent are specific circumstances and not endemic problems that are ballasting the future of the maximum European League of Legends competition, which has given rise to numerous criticisms in recent times.

A systematic problem and not a specific crisis

To invite reflection on whether the League could have more problems than the constant increase in competition on Twitch, just take a look at the involvement of the community with the social networks of the teams. The Emonkeyz Twitter account, currently in the Second Division of the Super League, has more followers than the Astralis profile dedicated to League of Legends. Teams such as Koi , Karmine Corp O Giants They exceed directly in terms of involvement of social networks at least six of the clubs that are part of the competition (Rogue, Misfits, Excel, MAD Lions, SK Gaming and Team BDS).

The concerns should not end in little power-and no effort in most cases-of the brands that secured their presence in LEC with a talonary coup. This data is a mere accessory that complements facts such as that many professional players do not even think about playing in the low-table equipment of the tournament. Nemesis, a former Fnatic player, resigned from the possibility of playing in LEC considering little interesting offers. Nor could they fish the allegedly largest teams from Europe to Rekkles, Nisqy, Crownshot or the stars that left the league to North America.

Regardless of the reason, the evidence is that the teams of the lower half of the LEC table are not interesting for any1. The spectators do not want to see their games and the players do not want to sign with them. An entrenched situation due to the long-term collaboration agreements established by Riot Games that prevents the company from refreshing the competition. The question is not why now the audience data is going down, it is how they have managed to stay for so many years just thanks to three or four teams of the League.