LCS Struggles with Record-Low Viewership Numbers
There has been a lot of negativity surrounding the LCS lately. With the rumors regarding TSM and CLG being bought out of the League, many fans are concerned about the future of the LCS. Now we are also seeing the viewership numbers hitting an all-time low. So what will LCS do to bring the numbers back?
The LCS Spring Split just ended after an exciting final where Cloud9 brought the trophy home against Golden Guardians. Both of the teams are now qualified for the first international event of the year, the MSI. But even after a thrilling final, there is still some bad news for the LCS as they once again hit record-low numbers for their broadcast.
In the early stages of League of Legends esports, the LCS was for many fans the broadcast to watch. However, in recent years several viewers have turned their attention to other regions like the LEC or the LCK. It is not entirely sure why the LCS is losing viewers to other regions, but one could speculate that the lack of performance on the international stage has something to do with it.
LCS Introduces New Methods to Fight Low Viewership Numbers
To avoid the viewership declining even further, the LCS broadcast has tried different methods, like introducing co-hosting for streamers and adding new, more personal segments to the broadcast.
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Nick “LS” De Cesare, streamer and current content creator for FlyQuest, has even talked positively about the recent changes made in the LCS broadcast, stating the LCS is better than ever before and “a relief to watch.” But Despite LS’s opinion, many fans seem to disagree, as, once again, the LCS has record-low viewership numbers.
CBLOL Surpasses LCS in Viewership
According to Esports Charts, the LCS broadcast had the lowest number of viewers since its launch. For the second time now, the North American broadcast has been overtaken by the CBLOL, the official LoL league in Brazil.
CBLOL had 276K peak viewers in the grand finals, whereas the LCS’ peak viewership number was 271K. This might not seem like that big of a difference, but considering the size of the two regions, it is pretty interesting to see CBLOL come out on top.
It was not only the peak Viewership number that was surpassed by the smaller region but also in terms of hours watched and average concurrent viewers.
Why Is the LCS Losing Viewers?
It is difficult to pinpoint precisely why the North American broadcast is losing viewers, but there are some valid points to be made.
Firstly, this year, many of the more popular North American teams did not make it as far in the competition as usual, resulting in fewer concurrent viewers throughout the split, according to Esport Charts.
Secondly, this was the first year the LCS and CBLOL broadcast was running simultaneously, resulting in viewers often choosing to shift their interest from one broadcast to the other.
Lastly, of the most prominent regions in League of Legends, the LCS has yet to provide quite impressive results on the international stage as the other regions. Unfortunately, for many, this makes the league less interesting to watch as a whole.
Even with the decline in viewers in the LCS, the League of Legends esports scene is still thriving, and who knows? This may be the year the LCS steps up and wins its first international trophy. Who will you be cheering for in the upcoming MSI?