Will this be NA's chance to grow or will it just go downhill even further?
LCS Won't Be The Same Anymore In 2024
MonteCristo, once a freelance caster for Riot, has been disconnected from the company for quite some time. Nevertheless, he still possesses valuable insights to share about the League of Legends North American scene.
In the Podcast Power Spike Season 2, Episode 31, MonteCristo dropped a "bombshell" – the NA LoL E-Sports scene is on the verge of collapse. Apparently, players are being asked to re-sign their contracts for significantly lower salaries or risk getting the boot. I mean, it wasn't really that surprising, looking at the international record of NA.
According to MonteCristo, this applies across the board, which means even spend-happy teams like Team Liquid and FlyQuest are steering away from their old habit of splurging on imports or building super teams.
LCS Problems: What will happen in 2024?
It's looking like a choice between budget-friendly imports and fresh-faced rookies. MonteCristo said, that the region will then take a lot of time to develop.
Personally, I don't think so. Pricey star players haven't been delivering the goods lately, while rookies like the EG squad have shown some serious promise this split.
Perhaps this is NA's golden opportunity to foster homegrown talent driven by the hunger to win, rather than simply importing players for a fat paycheck.
I don't think we necessarily need players with a storied past, but investing in top-notch coaching staff is crucial. Teams should also stick together longer to foster synergy. Plus, it's easier to be a fan of an organization when they're not doing a complete roster overhaul every split.
Take TSM and Cloud9, for instance. They built a fan base by sticking with familiar faces for extended periods.
Maybe it's time to get back to basics and field a team of promising rookies, give them time to grow, and provide top-notch coaching.
And if the LCS Teams can't find enough NA talent, there's always the option of scouting the Challenger Leagues in other regions. There are gems like Berserker from T1's Academy Team out there.
Of course, having experienced veterans on the team can help, provided they can still perform and guide the rookies – like Team Liquid's CoreJJ. But the real test is whether this salary cap adjustment will indeed make a substantial difference.
Only time will tell. Personally, I think we are going into a brighter future for NA.
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