Welcome to the LCS Summer Split – The Most Important LCS Split!
The Spring Split was enjoyable, but it didn’t have any impact on Worlds seeding. It was just League of Legends for fun. Plus, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season got canceled, and the players chose not to play online games from home. But now, the Summer Split is here, and it’s a different story. This split determines which teams earn spots in Worlds. North America has three spots up for grabs, well, two if you count Cloud9, who already secured a spot as the undisputed Spring champions.
Wondering who will join Cloud9? We asked our voters to rank each team from worst to best, assigning them points accordingly.
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1) | Cloud9 | 40 |
| 2) | Evil Geniuses | 36 |
| 3) | FlyQuest | 31 |
| 4) | TSM | 29 |
| 5) | 100 Thieves | 22 |
| 5) | Team Liquid | 22 |
| 7) | Immortals | 14 |
| 8) | Dignitas | 10 |
| 9) | CLG | 9 |
| 10) | Golden Guardians | 7 |
Here’s a breakdown of the teams heading into the first week of the season.
Does it matter: Dignitas, CLG, Golden Guardians
There wasn’t a consensus among our voters about the bottom of the table. Some thought CLG, who placed last in Spring, could have performed better with Pobelter as their mid laner for the whole split. Others didn’t have faith in CLG, even when he was subbed in. Golden Guardians made changes by bringing in Damonte, a mid laner, to turn things around. This move should complement Closer’s playstyle and allow him to roam freely. Dignitas has some analysts hopeful, but apart from releasing their highest-paid player Huni, they haven’t done much to warrant that optimism. Ultimately, these three teams won’t make it to Worlds.
Yay, playoffs: 100 Thieves, Team Liquid, Immortals
This next tier consists of playoff teams. This split, eight teams will make it to the summer playoffs, making the regular season less important. Nonetheless, failure to reach the playoffs for any of these three teams would be embarrassing. Team Liquid, who struggled in the Spring Split and placed ninth after a successful run of four-straight LCS titles, will have to work their way back up. Immortals, who fared slightly better than Liquid last split, should continue to improve. As for 100 Thieves, they have the potential to make a jump. They managed to hold their own against every team in the league last split, except for Cloud9. Consistency is key for them.
More interesting: FlyQuest, TSM
If 100 Thieves secure a Worlds spot, either FlyQuest or TSM won’t make it. FlyQuest had an impressive split last time, finishing as the second-best team in the playoffs. Their focus on environmental sustainability makes them a likable team. However, while FlyQuest stayed the same, TSM made visible improvements. The addition of Kobbe didn’t negatively impact TSM last split, but Doublelift’s recent form could potentially hinder the team. TSM isn’t the dominant force it used to be, but if Doublelift steps up, they become a formidable team. With strong players like BrokenBlade and Bjergsen, TSM has the potential for greatness.
A new challenger: Cloud9, Evil Geniuses
Cloud9 is known for its success internationally, and now they’re back to being North America’s top team domestically. They have talented players in every position and a coach who consistently wins. Evil Geniuses, on the other hand, is a bit of a wildcard. They are unanimously viewed as the second-best team in the region, but questions surround them. Who will start in the lineup? They have three import players, but until Huni gains residency, only two can play. The expectation is for Huni to start in the Academy squad, but if Jiizuke’s performance is lackluster, there might be changes. Nevertheless, if everything falls into place, Evil Geniuses could be a force to be reckoned with.
LCS Summer Split, Cloud9, Evil Geniuses, FlyQuest, TSM, playoffs, Worlds, Dignitas, CLG, Golden Guardians, 100 Thieves, Team Liquid, Immortals, Cloud9, Evil Geniuses