The Decline and Merger of the League Master Series and SEA Tour
In the history of League of Legends, the teams from Taiwan’s League Master Series (LMS) were once feared. However, the region has seen a decline over the years, with no LMS team making it out of groups since 2015. In order to revive the region and create new opportunities, the LMS recently announced a merger with the League of Legends SEA Tour (LST). With the merger, the region now has ten teams and a chance to make waves in the upcoming SEA Tour competition.
The Evolution of the League Structure
The teams currently in the LST and the LMS used to compete in the Garena Premier League. In 2015, the structure of the GPL changed, leading to teams from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao forming the LMS while the rest of the Southeast Asian teams remained in the GPL. This change meant that only a team from the GPL could make it to Worlds through the International Wildcard Qualification tournament (IWCQ), with the Bangkok Titans being the only team to succeed.
An Opportunity for Growth
The merger with the LST opens up the LMS region to teams from the rest of Southeast Asia, providing an influx of talent that will improve the league. This will allow the region to compete on the international stage with more depth. While some teams may have to leave to accommodate the new 10-team league, the region’s favorite teams are likely to remain.
The Future of the Region
With the merger, the future of three seeds for the new SEA Tour at Worlds is uncertain. However, the merger also means that there will be one seed left over from the old LST. This presents an opportunity for competitive wildcard regions to bring more talent to the Worlds stage. Overall, the merger sustains the growth of the region and breathes new life into the LMS teams, allowing them to face new opposition and challenge on the Worlds stage.
League of Legends, LMS, SEA Tour, merger, decline, Worlds, teams, talent, competition