LCSPA criticizes Riot for the surprising decision to reduce the league to eight teams
The League of Legends Championship Series Players Association criticized Riot Games and its league team owners for the surprise decision to reduce the league to eight teams.
Riot Games and the LCS announced on November 20, 2023 that they would be reducing the size of the league to eight teams, with Golden Guardians and Evil Geniuses leaving the league by mutual agreement.
The two teams will not compete in the 2024 League of Legends esports season and therefore the players added to their roster and support staff still employed at the time of the announcement have been laid off.
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This has resulted in several actors and behind-the-scenes employees suddenly being unemployed just before the start of 2024. The LCSPA, which came off a strike just a few months ago, released a statement regarding the surprise move and elimination of 10 player opportunities, condemning Riot and the LCS for not including the association in the decision-making process.
LCSPA criticized Riot for “eleventh hour decision making”
The LCSPA said it only learned of the league and Riot’s decision to move to an eight-team league last week. Rumors about the move only emerged last weekend.
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“The sudden loss of jobs is hurting our members. For the second time this year, due to organizational mismanagement and 11th-hour decision-making, Riot and its teams have left players out of the decision-making process and left players behind.
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“The released players and players whose verbal agreements are not honored will not have a fair opportunity to seek work elsewhere as most rosters have been finalized or committed at the time of today’s announcement.” the statement said.
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While the league’s esports offseason officially begins on November 21st, many teams and players have reportedly already made verbal commitments to play for teams in the LCS and around the world. The Golden Guardians were noticeably absent from reported player transactions, while the Evil Geniuses were in the process of building a roster for the 2024 season.
The LCSPA said removing “struggling organizations” rather than replacing them was a step toward a better league, perhaps with a more open system. However, “we can only build a better future for the league and players if players’ voices are heard.”
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The association has also called on the developer to make up for the loss of roster spots by improving the league and conditions of the North American Challengers League next season.
