Riot Games Reverts Broadcasting Plans for League of Legends in Korea
Riot Games recently announced a change of plans for the broadcasting of the top League of Legends league in Korea. Originally, the broadcasting duties were set to be split between OnGameNet (OGN) and SPOTV. However, Riot has now reverted back to their original agreement with OGN.
After receiving backlash from fans and employees, Riot decided to allow OGN to broadcast every single game of the 2016 Champion’s season. OGN has been a long-standing partner of Riot and is known for producing high-quality broadcasts.
A New Broadcast Plan for the Summer Split
In light of the feedback, Riot has made changes to their broadcasting plan. For the Spring season, OGN will continue to handle all broadcasting duties. However, for the Summer Split, there will be a split broadcast with two matches in two different studios. Initially, OGN was only going to cast one of these matches, while SPOTV handled the other. Now, OGN will broadcast both sets, except in cases where schedules overlap, where they will work alongside SPOTV.
The LCK playoffs and finals will be exclusively broadcasted by OGN.
Responding to Fan Feedback
The decision to revert back to OGN as the sole broadcaster comes in response to the backlash from fans. Riot acknowledges that OGN provides the highest-quality broadcast in League of Legends and hopes that the competition from SPOTV will further motivate OGN to maintain their top quality. Riot also clarifies that they do not collect broadcast rights fees and will provide financial support to both OGN and SPOTV to facilitate the production of high-quality broadcasts.
Overall, Riot’s primary goal is to deliver the best possible viewing experience for League of Legends fans in Korea.
Screengrab via Twitch/OGN