NA LCS Franchising in 2019: European League of Legends Gets a New Name and Format
In line with the changes coming to the NA LCS next year, the European LCS (EU LCS) is also transitioning to a franchise model in 2019. Riot Games, the company behind League of Legends, announced today that the league will be renamed and rebranded as the League of Legends European Championship (LEC).
The franchise system will bring financial security to each team and open up possibilities for larger investments. Similar to the NA LCS, the EU LCS will add ten franchised teams to its roster. This means that any teams from the 2018 EU LCS that are not included in the list will no longer be part of the league. While this may disappoint some fans, the overall goal is to improve the league and create an environment that fosters growth and success for both teams and players.
The ten teams that have been selected to participate in the LEC’s debut season are Fnatic, FC Schalke 04, G2 Esports, Misfits, Vitality, Splyce, exceL, Rogue, SK Gaming, and Origen. Four of these teams are new additions to the league, including Origen, which previously competed in the EU LCS from 2014 to 2017. According to Riot Games, these teams were chosen for their combination of esports expertise and commercial backing.
As for the league’s name change to LEC, Riot Games has not provided much explanation. It seems that the new name is simply meant to signify the start of the franchised league and give it a fresh new identity. It is worth noting that with this change, the NA LCS no longer has a sister league, which may have influenced the decision.
The LEC will officially kick off on January 18, 2019. This marks an exciting new era for European League of Legends and sets the stage for a competitive and thrilling season.
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