Riot Games modifies LoL Esports schedules to accommodate VALORANT
Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends and VALORANT, is modifying the broadcast schedule for LoL’s major competitions in 2023 to accommodate VALORANT tournaments.
The modifications are made to make it easier for fans to watch their favorite matches. Fans who enjoy both franchises and prefer to watch the competitions live had to choose one over the other in the past. It is hoped that the changes will allow fans to see more of the action when it is convenient for them.
Schedules for LoL Esports, VALORANT 2023
The following are the broadcast schedules for League of Legends Esports and VALORANT Esports for the 2023 season. League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) will be held on Thursday and Friday at 12:00 p.m. PT. The League of Legends European Championship (LEC) will begin at 6:00 p.m. CET on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
The Campeonato Brasileiro de League of Legends (CBLoL) will be held on Saturday and Sunday starting at 1:00 p.m. BRT. The League of Legends Pro League (LPL) will take place Monday through Friday at 5 p.m. CST and Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. CST.
LCK will have new start times. Match 2 on weekdays will move from 8:00 p.m. KST to 7:30 p.m. KST. On Weekends, Match 1 will be moved from 5:00 p.m. KST to 3:00 p.m. KST, and Match 2 will be moved from 8:00 p.m. KST to 5:30 p.m. KST.
VCT Americas will start on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, beginning at 12:00 p.m. PT. VCT EMEA will take place on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 6:00 p.m. CET. VCT Pacific will be held on Saturday, Sunday and Monday starting at 6:00 p.m. KST.
The region to receive the most significant shift is the LEC, which also modifies its season from two splits to three. EMEA LoL Esports will also air seven days a week, with ERL games taking place on days when the LEC does not.
“Last month, we revealed our new format for the LEC and some additional key changes coming to the EMEA ecosystem next year, including the introduction of two new ERLs,” wrote the LEC staff.
The LEC team also said it worked closely with the Global LoL Esports team to offer fans the optimal viewing experience as frequently as possible.
The LCS experience will remain essentially unchanged. In 2023, the Spring and Summer Splits will be Double Round Robins over eight weeks of regular season play, with two three-day Super Weeks each.
The split playoff formats will also be the same as this year. The winning team of the Spring Playoffs will represent LCS at the Mid-Season Invitational, and the three top finishers in the LCS Championship will have the chance to participate in Worlds.
LCS community concerned about new schedule
outspoken was LCS caster Isaac “Azael” Cummings, who posted on Twitter, saying that the schedule shift was “scary.”
Azael said that he had asked “a ton of internal questions” and was concerned about the future of the North American league and his professional career as a caster.
“Will the average viewer habits of Twitch reflect that of the LCS?” was among the questions, as well as “will we [LCS] be able to gain hold of the attention of a new crop of viewers as a result of the changes?”
Regardless, according to the LCS caster, the North American League has a lot to look forward to. He also thinks that every aspect of the LCS has improved, which keeps him excited.
