Look Sports Media – Popular League of Legends streamer and former pro, Christian "IWDominate" Rivera, has ignited a fiery debate surrounding the LEC’s surprisingly thin match schedule. Rivera highlighted the stark contrast between the LEC and other major leagues, tweeting, "In 28 hours, WBG and JDG will play 2 Bo3s. GiantX will play 2 Bo3s between August 5th and September 5th." This disparity stems from the LEC’s round-robin format, where teams play each other only once, and GiantX’s particularly sparse schedule—two matches in the first week, leaving only two more for the entire regular season. This pales in comparison to the LPL’s frenetic pace, where teams like Weibo Gaming and JD Gaming enjoy a significantly higher volume of matches.
The tweet sparked a wave of fan reactions, many lamenting the perceived lack of competitive opportunities for Western players. One fan responded, "We’ll never catch Asia in skill because they actually play the game, while EU and NA teams are mostly watching. It’s crazy LTA only plays two days a week." While the LCK also employs a round-robin format in some stages, its schedule is far more robust, with teams playing twice a week over six weeks and facing each other thrice. Even the LCK, however, plays less than the LPL, considered the second-best region globally. Despite Anyones Legend’s impressive rise, T1 and Gen.G remain World Championship favorites according to esports betting sites, highlighting the perceived skill gap.
Critics argue that focusing solely on the number of matches is overly simplistic, emphasizing the importance of coaching quality, scrims, and overall regional strength. However, the LEC’s current format raises serious questions about its ability to foster growth and competitiveness. Many point to the shared studio with Valorant as a major scheduling constraint.
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The debate intensified with NaVi’s entry into the LEC after acquiring Rogue’s franchise spot for a reported €20,000,000. Despite the hype surrounding NaVi’s arrival, their four regular season games were crammed into four weeks, leaving fans with a long wait until 2026. One frustrated fan tweeted, "I’m a NaVi fan, I wanted to see my org compete. I watched 4 games in a month, then have to wait 4-5 months. How is this normal? Why should I care?" Further compounding the issue, NaVi knew their jungler, Thayger, would be replaced by Rhilech before the season even started, offering little long-term investment for fans. The LEC’s format, combined with NaVi’s roster decisions, left fans feeling shortchanged and questioning the league’s overall strategy. Is the LEC inadvertently hindering its own growth and competitiveness with its current structure?
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