A World Cup for League of Legends? It Could Happen
*Disclaimer: This is an opinion*
After witnessing the excitement of the Overwatch World Cup at BlizzCon, the idea of a World Cup for League of Legends seems intriguing. Imagine the best players from each country coming together to compete in a global tournament. Players like Enrique “xPeke” Cedeño Martínez and Alfonso “mithy” Aguirre Rodríguez could join forces to represent Spain. This could be a major event that fans around the world would eagerly watch.
Many fans believe that more tournaments would benefit professional players in the Western parts of the world on international stages. Having a World Cup-style tournament could help highlight unknown players and give them the opportunity to be noticed and potentially signed by teams in the future.
Arguments Against
One concern is the already crowded calendar of events in the esports industry. Professional players may not have the time or desire to participate in another major tournament. This is why it might be beneficial to have the tournament open to semi-pros and amateurs, similar to the Overwatch format, where captains choose players to represent their region on their behalf.
Another consideration is the business side of things. Will there be an audience for this tournament? Who would watch it? Is there a prize? Finding the resources and funding to organize such a large-scale event would require careful preparation and coordination. Riot Games’ priority is currently focused on their existing leagues, so it remains uncertain if they would invest time and money into this new endeavor.
Furthermore, some countries, like South Korea, would be clear favorites in the tournament, which could potentially decrease viewer interest due to the expected outcome.
Arguments For
A World Cup for League of Legends would give players the chance to represent their country and experience a sense of national pride. In an era where teams are filled with imported players, this tournament could help countries establish their own identities and showcase unique playing styles.
From a spectator standpoint, a World Cup would be more engaging than other tournament formats. Just like the FIFA World Cup, fans would come together to support their country’s team, regardless of their previous affiliation with the sport. This broader appeal could attract a wider range of viewers.
Additionally, if esports continues to move towards becoming an Olympic sport, a World Cup-style tournament could serve as a means for countries to identify and train their best teams over a set period of time. However, this assumes that League of Legends becomes one of the games included in the esports category for such events.
Final Thoughts
While the concept of a League of Legends World Cup is intriguing, it is unlikely to happen without the involvement of an external company partnering with Riot Games. The current focus of Riot Games is on maintaining and growing their existing leagues, rather than branching out into new ventures.
For now, we can only wait and see. However, the hope remains that a true League of Legends World Cup will become a reality in the future.
Thanks for reading. Let me know if you enjoyed this article and would like to see more in the “Monkey’s Musings” series. Feel free to suggest which esports scene or game I should cover next week.
Adam Newell is a writer for @GAMURScom and can be contacted at [email protected] or on Twitter @MonkeyKingHero.
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