An Event Horizon Moment for LCS Players Association?
This and other musings on esports this week…
Tomorrow is Memorial Day in America, and it’s not just another day to barbecue some meat, drink some beer, and enjoy an extended weekend. The holiday is about remembering those who fought and died while in military service (there’s an interesting article about the origins of the holiday for those who want to learn more). While we may not agree on why our country goes to war it is important to remember and respect those who have given their lives in service to our country. Also, it’s important to note that it is okay to enjoy some beer and grilled meats, I’m not the devil on that topic! Anyway enjoy your day off but know why you have it. - James Fudge.
The Next Popular Return Rumors
With Battlegrounds Mobile India returning to the region soon, there's no longer any speculative bulls**t articles on the subject to look forward to on a daily basis—but never fear, the hype and speculation will soon move onto another game that was banned in India: Garena's Free Fire!
That's right, you can expect to see articles treating its return to something akin to the return of Jesus, with sightings here, signs and wonders there, and people with a sliver of authority in the Indian esports scene making videos speculating on whispers they have heard from "reliable sources."
Of course, no one actually knows when it will return except (just like with BGMI) the publisher and the Indian government. I suppose if you have nothing better to do, those articles will keep you entertained, but right now there’s no credible news on the subject out there...
Swedish e-Sports Federation Voted Into National Sports Confederation
Here’s some real news: The Swedish e-Sports Federation has been voted into Sweden's National Sports Confederation (RF), according to a report from Swedish publication Expressen. This news came from the National Sports Meeting, which was held this weekend.
It looked like the vote would fail at the start of the weekend, according to the report, because the National Sports Authority told member associations that they should vote no to esports this year, but those associations (notably, the Swedish School Sports Association, cycling association, budo and martial arts association, archery association, powerlifting association, para-sports association, multi-sport association) demanded that it being included. The final vote: 108 voted yes, 71 voted no. Expressen has some excellent coverage on the topic here.
What it means for the industry in Sweden is anyone’s guess, but it’s an interesting first step. I will reiterate what I always say when these sorts of things happen: esports doesn’t need traditional sporting authorities or olympic committees in these countries—it’s the other way around—so I hope the SEF and the country don’t go the route of focusing on only virtual sports because young people who care about esports or even gaming are not sitting around watching people play Tic Tac Bow or other nonsensical offerings; they are watching CS:GO, Valorant, Super Smash Bros., League of Legends, Rocket League, and other games that are actually exciting to watch. Put a sticky note on your refrigerator so you’ll always remember this fact, I guess...
Gut Check Time: LCS Players Association Walkout Vote
Sometime today (Sunday), players on teams in the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) for North America will vote to stage a walkout later this week as the league heads into major summer competition.
The vote on the walkout, initiated by LCS Players Association, is due to Riot's decision to allow team owners to decide whether or not to continue operation of a "farm team" in the NALC (North American Challengers League). After this decision was made public earlier this month, only three teams decided to stay in the NACL, while the remainder walked away.
Prior to Riot's change in policy, teams were required to operate an academy team, which some say cost between $300K - $400K USD annually. Riot gives each franchised team somewhere around $2M annually (LCSPA claims $3M but sources we spoke to say that figure is incorrect), but prior to the change in policy would be forced to spend a portion of that stipend on an NALC team.
Whether you think franchised teams should be forced to operate an NALC team in these very lean times or not, it's not surprising that Riot made this decision as layoffs and belt tightening is the order of the day because the industry is struggling to stay alive. We can debate whether this is due to simply the cost of doing business or mismanagement, but this is where many organizations are, and either they find relief somewhere or they shut down altogether.
Honestly, this vote is more of a test of the LCSPA than anything else. If they manage to convince enough players to walk out in protest then Riot (who once funded the organization but stepped away because it created a perceived conflict of interest and undue influence) will have to look more closely at their demands and (maybe) offer a few concessions.
On the other hand, if players decide not to walk out, it shows that the LCSPA has no power at all beyond the bullhorn of public statements pushed out on social media.
It will be interesting to watch, but the people we talked to this week that have knowledge of these things think this will be a flop.
Of course, for a more nuanced and thoughtful approach to the topic, check out the post from earlier this week from Mikhail Klimentov…
In Other News…
💹 OverActive Media is on the road to profitability, but it’s not quite there yet…
🎲 Evil Geniuses gambles with new sponsor…
🤝🏽 ISU taps PIVOT Agency for naming rights to the Redbird Esports Complex…
🎌SPORTFIVE extends partnership with Saudi Esports Federation…
☑ Chinese government approves Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard..
Thank you for reading this week! We’re going to continue to experiment with formats while trying not to bore you back into the stone age, so we appreciate every opened email, substack visit, and like we receive. Let me know what you think because your feedback really matters to me and will continue to help shape this newsletter.
Two million annually...wow. I had no idea the amount was that high!