Changes to LCS, CBLOL, and LLA Explained by a CEO

The LCS is going to go through many changes for 2025, alongside CBLOL and LLA. This is what Team Liquid's Co-CEO Steve has to say about these changes, what he thinks, and how we can move forward as a region and as Team Liquid.
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[@WHIKKEDDDD]

steve won me over in the breaking point doc, still my goat

[@mjacflyff]

APA transferred his mustache to Steve

[@zizeeo]

Always love hearing from you Steve. Getting my picture with you was a highlight of my time in League of Legends. You're such an important member of our community here. Thanks man.

[@Evan_Morgan]

jeez not holding back on the "free riders"

[@rynejones8513]

btw the first "free riders" we got rid of were EG and GG who had both come off decent runs in the league. they weren't free riding, but they were aware of the shit show that LCS was becoming.

[@jal-kx6tm]

@@rynejones8513 EG had tons of problems across multiple esports.

[@Targetdh]

@@rynejones8513 EG went broke, and so did GG, the real free riders are still in the league (IMT and DIG) but removing 2 teams actually improved the league a lot.

[@rynejones8513]

@@jal-kx6tm they also won across multiple esports, them having issues with pushing players too far is not the same as a free rider.

[@jal-kx6tm]

@@rynejones8513 i'm not talking about danny, i'm talking about their financial troubles. the whole org was in serious danger of going bankrupt. don't know what the situation is like right now.

[@cedrichofstetter4057]

Thanks Steve and TY HONDA

[@Kokopelle]

Steve is the greatest CEO

[@youngbae5187]

Took his time with a moustache to address the fans in Seasn 14, while Reginald afks and gives 0 fks about the fans since Seasn 6.

[@rynejones8513]

@@youngbae5187 he needs you to forget that he's taming the Saudi money.

[@mattsmall1874]

@@rynejones8513 who hurt you?

[@rynejones8513]

@@mattsmall1874 team Liquid when they sold out our league

[@mattsmall1874]

@@rynejones8513 not Riot who sold their IP to KSA? Not Flyquest - not all the other orgs in the league who would have gone to EWC if offered? Not the 29 other esports orgs who are going? Not the economic situation that led to such things? Just Team Liquid, just Steve? Ok :)

[@aaronlangley8338]

I honestly think Steve has explained these changes the best. Concise and clear. Thank you, TL Honda!

[@rynejones8513]

While his greedy org is trying to kick more teams out of the league so they can get more share of the stipend.

[@ninjamonkey5697]

After reading the initial news things seemed shaky but I am now more on board with the new changes after having watched this.

[@JoshuaPark505]

That mustache! Not the Steve we know lol. Steve is such a good and stable staple in the scene. I'm excited for the changes, especially the guest spot.

[@jal-kx6tm]

thank you for this clear 5 minute explanation. everybody else taking like 20+ minutes.

[@Thaynett24]

The more I hear from Steve the more I become a fan of the team.

[@MyOddEdits]

I appreciate YOUR time Steve.

[@vaelcon]

Thanks for your insight Steve. I'm pretty skeptical of the region merge, specifically because LLA/CBLOL fans are really against this change and I don't blame them at all. I anticipate that the SA teams are gonna be getting shit on and a lot of unwarranted animosity against the LCS from them that we really didn't have before this change. I'm not completely against the conferences, but losing international seeds seems like a completely unfair system, it should just be the top 2 for MSI and top 3 for Worlds, none of this participation trophy bullshit.

[@nuraby_9228]

"none of this participation trophy bullshit." Participation trophy bullshit is the only reason why NA was allowed to send so many teams to Worlds over the years. They certainly didn't earn those 3-4 slots lol

[@vaelcon]

​@@nuraby_9228 If NA didn't deserve the 3 slots, which region did then?

[@ObiWanShinobi917]

​@@nuraby_9228yeah. Except LCS brought in a shit ton of money that kept the entire LoL scene afloat. Can Brazil say the same?

[@Nightterror21x]

@@ObiWanShinobi917L take. League is mega popular in Brazil and the CBLOL was actually completely financially sustainable on its own

[@ObiWanShinobi917]

@@Nightterror21x yeah. But Brazil isn't the economic center of the entire globe. That's Saudi Arabia, and the United States. The amount of sponsorship money that was brought in by being big in the U.S. is massive so of course Riot was gonna give NA 3 slots so that sponsors have more chances to advertise at worlds. It wasn't a participation trophy for NA. It was a money trophy. Brazil has neither the skill nor the money. So yes, they are getting participation trophy. Only because the global economic downturn has made Riot realize they need to pull EVERY fan base to keep afloat. So they're catering to Brazil now

[@matheusazafi4436]

One thing that i think all LCS fans don't realize is that this mentality that "Only the winner matter." or " from 2nd to last was a year wasted." Here in Brazil we understand that not all the teams will compete for the title and that is ok. That are the teams that are there to select and help young talent to be better and by doing so they maybe go to the playoffs or agains all odds win that split, but we dont expect that from them (We don't putt that pressure on them). We understand that not everyone have the money to be a major contender, soo we embrance the middle and low org.

[@acatwithwiskers9273]

IWD said the same thing on his stream

[@nuraby_9228]

@@acatwithwiskers9273 I saw IWD's stream, he basically twisted the BR sentiment into "man Brazilians have a weak competitive mindset'

[@rynejones8513]

That mentality is what LCS should have been pushing and the sentiment seemed to be getting better for teams outside of the winner, but Riot doesn't give anything time to improve instead opting to make radical changes that could set the who region back. You all in Brazil should refuse to watch any match a Brazilian team isn't playing in. Don't let Riot make money off of you by watching LCS or conference or whatever bullshit they want to name it.

[@matheusazafi4436]

@@rynejones8513 80% of us have no interest in LCS and I'm being generous with that number. For us the LCS is the fat kid that owns the ball and only will let us play if he plays. Maybe he is a good player or a better player, but he doesn't know how to make it fun. For LCS ala fat kid that fun is in winning not in playing.

[@rynejones8513]

@@matheusazafi4436 good, we can't fail like we should if Brazilians buy into it so I'm glad you all are holding strong not watching.

[@killerkupid]

Thank you Honda! Can’t wait for this new era!

[@TheJamesawesome]

THANK YOU HONDA :)

[@GlippyLotion]

Thanks steve 👍

[@timdiaz1981]

Team Liquid is quickly becoming the coolest org in NA! Go Steve!

[@rynejones8513]

while they take the saudi money, yeah no.

[@OneWingedRose]

Thank you Hondaaa!

[@tritt78]

Thank you Honda

[@SeiferSays]

Regarding MSI... "Usually only one team does well anyways." Did Yappa write this script?

[@j.r.s8737]

Glad you made this video, the changes are confusing to me.

[@Angelfyre.]

I watch TL in Siege and their a Brazilian team, getting 4th place in Manchester was sick especially since it was a long fight through LCQs

[@vincentcloud]

Thanks Steve for breaking it down. Always been a really stand up guy.

[@herokid8313]

DAMN “FREE RIDERS”.

[@rynejones8513]

steve's ideal world would be these other teams spending more millions on koreans so that he didnt have to make an excuse as to why they were taking the saudi money.

[@Squid0333]

TL CEO 🐐

[@swayarrow]

More Steve please

[@dominomobymeow5591]

Steve

[@Daniel-bc5yq]

As a brazilian fan, I have to say I do not understand how this conference system will by any different than having two separate leagues and forcing us to play in a small play-in Are we really going to be the same league (LCS + CBLOL) but play against each other just a handful of games per year? We are quite supportive of our teams (as you are probably very well aware of) when it comes to international competitions: no matter which team you're a fan of, in international stage we cheer for Brazil. And unless we somehow have the feeling that the Northern conference and Southern conferences are two complementary parts of a whole, I don't see any southern support going to northern teams and vice-versa

[@risingregime568]

i can understand riot wanting to spread some of the LLA & CBLOL fan base to LCS but doing it in this way just cannabilizes the league and isnt great for anyone

[@georgeide2337]

Signore Steve ready for the merger😂

[@rynejones8513]

what are the odds that TL takes the buyout terms and then tries to buy a slot in the LEC next year with a couple of their teams looking for a way out?

[@isaacfernandez2745]

@@rynejones8513watch the end of the five minute video

[@CURichard2019]

​@@rynejones8513 I'd say possible but not probable. Right now TL can shine in a region that they have a ton of fans. TL has a Mexican Apex legends team, multiple Brazillian esport teams. And in NA both their LoL and CS2 teams are there. Leaving for EU where, yes they have a presence in the Netherlands, but their only EU team is Dota2 (various SC2 players), doesn't make as much sense. They can capitalize on their markets in North and South America and build a team that, much like in some college sports, is only meant to win their conference to get showcased on a larger scale without over investing and trying to win the big one. (Boise State is a good example over the years for example of how they win the Mountain West but never do much outside of it)

[@CaroArasti]

Those of us who want Steve to do a real review of the vanguard and how it affects the players

[@jinxtacy]

As far as the one team does, well anyway, usually it's not the first seed for whatever reason.

[@Jakersons]

Hey Steve

[@jameslawson1952]

Is the new sponser Coka-Cola?

[@jakuzzzi]

I mustache Steve a question

[@brenoalthoff]

As a brazilian, our view is a bit biased cuz we have good viewship - but it does not mean good money. Our currency is 5 times worse than dollar... And none of the Brazilian teams were having positive numbers on finances for the last years...

[@rynejones8513]

And if you develop a star player you can be sure the teams in LCS will take them away with the new America's roster slot.

[@shindoyhong3678]

Steve at MSI part 😅😓

[@Shininku]

Steve looking like every dad from the 80s, that was always a veteran, with that mustache. Still kinda shocking that LPL and it's academy still keeps it's 17/18 teams in it's systems; seems like them dropping at least one spot would also help for a supposed "global" regional pool. Not like those repeat bottom teams are doing much anyway; can't imagine they have too many fans. But instead, let's cut yet another entire region.

[@justifiable]

I was fully expecting this to be a meme content piece a la "why we didn't sign doublelift"

[@Squid0333]

4:39 this part is the most concerning. How are NA LCS teams ok with this? This inherently makes the region less valuable as they have less spots to represent themselves internationally. International representation is everything as most of league viewership happens at international tournaments.

[@yatoyoboku]

Looking at the bigger picture im happy our family is technically getting bigger lets win an international maybe....as the America's as a whole for once.

[@CURichard2019]

Not a fan of Riot reducing revenue share and shifting it towards performance based. Riot continuing to pocket money that should be used in sustaining the pro scene.

[@Djfjfjrhhrjrhrhfj]

I am really happy about the changes. I love the addition of an "Americas" 3rd import slot so players can switch between the north and south conferences freely. The reduction from 25 Americas teams down to 16 will make all of the rosters stronger (same playerbase chasing fewer roster spots = stronger teams), and the guest spot in both conferences adds a nice path to pro and gives the tier 2 scene meaning. Of course the CBLOL fans are emotional and outraged because they don't understand the business sustainability side of it, but they will adapt and get over it. This is a better system overall for everyone long term. I just wish there was a logistical way for the north and south to play more often. It still feels like two separate leagues that meet up at the end. I really want it to feel like 1 unified league with two conferences. We would need regular season matches between the conferences for that. Maybe 60-70% in conference matches and 30-40% out of conference matches similar to the NBA. The problem is the conferences are far apart geographically, so that may be too much travel to ask of the teams. One way you could do it is the teams all met up for 2-3 weeks each split for out of conference play, and then return home for in conference play. For example, Weeks 1-3 you play out of conference matches (north flies to south), weeks 4-9 you return home for conference play, and then the conferences meet again for playoffs (south flies to north). This way each conference only makes 1 trip per split. They don't have to do it exactly like this, but something along these lines would be great. It is still a lot of traveling for the teams, but it is doable.

[@hardlo7146]

Viewership went up thanks to costreamers, and mostly international voewers...

[@ThandrieDavis]

This whole thing is a stealth-nerf of LCS to becoming a minor region. I wish they would just explicitly say that, and own that.

[@xeagaort]

This to me is the LCS finally being demoted to a minor region which, deserved or not, is sad to see as a fan of the region.

[@rebornthanos]

The community wanted promotion relegation to remove the teams too incompetent to run competitive teams in the league. This is not promotion relegations, if we had that immortals would have been gone in a half year after franchising started. If the goal was to truly remove people not invested in the league we had that before corporate greed came and ruined our flourishing scene. There was a great and successful time in which you didn't need over ten millions dollars to remove someone like immortals from the league you needed skill and since you don't need skill to be in the league anymore in what way would we ever be competitive. The answer we won't and we haven't. Until franchising is completely dissolved or once you get enough teams confident enough to win a promotion relegation match against five random players with 0 infrastructure (which by the way these teams brag about their infrastructure so much yet view real promotion relegations as to much of a risk), until this happens the league will stay on the decline and I assume everyone behind the scenes knows this as well but aren't willing to give up their guaranteed spot. So instead we are taking all of our problems and dumping them onto the thriving brazil scene, because we will do everything and anything besides fixing the exact thing that train wrecked the entire thriving North American league scene all those years ago. Because in doing so will mean they wasted hundreds of millions of dollars to control something they failed to control. And sadly I can only assume it's going to have to completely crash before Na even has a chance to grow again.

[@ThePantheistPope]

Mustache is horrible no judgement just opinion

[@samuelmanacmul]

Thanks steve for communicating unlike other orgs who sit silent and give no clarity to fans

[@EmoPorEmilio]

steve is by far the best thing about lol scene and I hope he's right

[@RightfootWestHam]

tl;dr : League is losing viewship, playerbase and sponsorship. Riot and LCS is now in full desperate mode trying to hold on to the few viewers they have. You can see the affect this has on Team Liquid, they produced only a single Squad video this year so far... compared to the many episodes in every previous year. I support TL-lol as long as I can, but in a dying game that does not offer much excitement with less and less content its getting harder. Lets go Liquid and Lets go Steve!

[@rynejones8513]

You would think with all the Saudi money coming in that TL could produce more content.

[@RightfootWestHam]

@@rynejones8513 No idea what you talking about. If TL get money, there is no reason to put that money towards their lol team since lol is a dying game and has been since 2014. The fact that LCS manage to survive for this long is partly because of Team Liquid that have had a hand in almost every talent produced in the NA, made the best content and produced the best results internationally... With a winning record against EU teams as 1 of many examples.

[@rynejones8513]

@@RightfootWestHam and now they are taking the Saudi money during pride month with Steve trying to play it off like him being gay makes it okay. They are a shit org with morals for sell to the highest bidder.

[@king.brandon]

Please shave that mustache off

[@teamliquiddota]

Mustache Steve is kinda hot

[@mattsmall7845]

Thank you Honda

[@zargabaz2198]

Thank you Honda