Nuevo formato de LCS NA

Eltshan

TL;DR: NA LCS is switching back to a double Bo1 regular season starting in 2018.

Every split, we evaluate if the NA LCS format and schedule are creating competitive and entertaining matches. After three splits of Best of 3s (Bo3) in the regular season, we’ve weighed a lot of info including months of surveying fans, conducting focus groups, auditing viewership for both streams, and reviewing feedback from fans, teams, and pros. As a result, we’ve decided to move the NA LCS back to a double Bo1 regular season starting with the 2018 Season.

What’s the goal of the regular season? How do we evaluate a format?
We’ve always used the guiding principles that the NA LCS format should create highly competitive and extremely entertaining matches. We want the NA LCS regular season format to:

Be accessible for fans to watch weekly
Support balanced exposure for all teams, pros, and their sponsors
Send the best and most competitive teams to Playoffs
When we looked at the existing Bo3 format, we looked at the following areas:

Fan Behavior: We actively analyze how players watch the NA LCS, including how they’re watching Bo3s - are they queuing up to watch one team’s matches or just jumping into the broadcast when they have time regardless of the match? Is there an oversaturation of esports content that's making fans choose between watching the LCS and playing League of Legends? That allows us to identify any emerging trends that could impact the health of the League.
Viewership: The more fans are watching, and the longer they are tuning in, the stronger and healthier the league is. These numbers matter at all levels of the league, from the overall value and future of the league down to the pros themselves. They affect the value of ads on streams, the value of team sponsorship deals, and the revenue share available to teams/pros for next year. It’s not the only measure but it’s the best objective way to measure if the league is successful.
Community Feedback: We actively measure community feedback around the NA LCS through multiple methods including surveys, focus groups, and online sentiment. Our goal is that fans, pros, and teams trust that we’re delivering a fair, competitive format that sends the best teams to Playoffs.

Why did we switch to Bo3? What was the impact?
When we made the switch back to Bo3 back in 2016, we based our decision on a couple of factors. Primarily, we believed that the new format would make the NA LCS a better experience for fans based on three assumptions. An assumption was that a more competitive series-based format would better prepare teams for international events like MSI and Worlds. Equally, we believed that Bo3 series would give fans of specific teams more games to watch - that they would tune in specifically to watch a Bo3 of their favorite team. The last assumption is that the Bo3 format would be a more enjoyable viewing experience than Bo1s because you could see storylines unfolding over the course of a series. When we sought out feedback from pros, teams, and the community, we heard some of the same assumptions and supported the change to Bo3.

Although we had initial positive feedback, when looking at our data week over week and surveying NA LCS fans, we saw some of our assumptions proved wrong. Importantly, Bo3s have made it harder and less enjoyable to watch, and many fans don’t tune in to watch an entire series.

More than half of fans start watching a Bo3 regardless of what game in the series teams were currently playing - they are not getting the payoff of watching a series unfold.
Almost half of fans are having trouble finding time to watch an entire Bo3 matchup, making the NA LCS less approachable for the average fan - many just prefer to play League of Legends instead of watch a Bo3.
Fans cite Bo3s and too many games as a factor when they stop watching as much as they used to.
Across all of these mediums, the message that we've received from fans is that they'd welcome a change back to Best of 1. We believe this format change is the way to make the NA LCS more intuitive for new fans, makes following and watching easier for everyone, and is the right decision for the health of the League.

We talked these trends through with pros via the NA LCS Players' Association and discussed the pros and cons of more games/competition vs. optimizing for more fans to tune in. When walking through various options, the majority of pros agreed that the benefits of Bo3 did not outweigh the tradeoffs. They also agreed that while a lot of regular season games could be effective, it has diminishing returns. In order to address the concern that Bo1s do not allow enough games for teams to develop proper synergy or preparation for international play, we're working with the Players Association and teams to make practice and scrims more efficient. We feel there's a lot of gains to be made in both practice efficiency and tools. We’re working closely with all potential owners to make sure there's a commitment to the same goals above to ensure a smooth transition to Bo1.

Why go back to Bo1? Why not try something else?
Feedback showed us that fans preferred watching more content across multiple teams than tuning in selectively for matches specifically of one team. After reviewing numerous options, we’re moving back to Bo1 because it’s:

A more digestible format for fans to watch than Bo3s
One of the few formats that allows us to get rid of dual streams – fans, teams, and pros gave feedback that they prefer a single stream for games unless it’s specialized content (such as a lane focused cast)
A structure that gives fans more time to go explore/dive in to team content
A format that doesn't have high stress points. Formats that include high variability in start times (Bo3s), Super Weeks, or a tournament structure allow fans to tune out and come back during Playoffs or Finals
Easier for fans to follow from beginning to end and can provide less repetitive gameplay with a potential for more champion diversity - even if the tradeoff is occasionally ‘safe’ picks from stronger teams and/or cheese picks from weaker teams.
More straightforward to predict start times for fans who want to see their team play. We could’ve moved to scheduling Bo3s at set times but we didn’t want fans to wait unnecessarily for the next series.
With the move to Bo1s, another change we’ll be implementing is that teams get side selection once instead of each team being assigned red and blue automatically. We’re making this change so that teams can opt into what side they play on to provide a level of fairness and balance as the meta potentially shifts between patches.

Could Bo3s ever come back?
We’ll continue to review if our format and schedule are creating entertaining and competitive matches. If we see a shift in how fans watch the NA LCS or a better format to create compelling competition, we’d be open to looking at it as an option again as we would with any type of format change.

Does this mean NA LCS is moving away from 3-day broadcast? Will it go back to weekends at noon PT?
Yes, we’ll be going back to a single stream for weekend games. We may bring back special alt streams such as position focused casts, but we won’t have dual streams every week. We’ll confirm the start times and any additional changes coming to the NA LCS in the offseason.

When will the NA LCS start with the new format?
We’ll be introducing this format change to the NA LCS at the start of the 2018 Spring Split on January 20. This was not a change we’ve made lightly, but after three splits, we think this is the right move to ensure the longevity and sustainability of our sport in North America for years to come. We believe this format change will provide a valuable, entertaining regular season for our pros, fans, and teams.

Bear Schmiedicker, yes, Bear is his real name, is one of the NA LCS Leads. He previously led and grew the NA Player Support team at Riot and has had a long history and passion for Esports. When he isn’t on the Rift or the NA LCS studio, he’s chasing around two corgis (Appa and Korra). On Twitter, he’s just @bearfromspace.

TL DR.

Bo1 hehe xd gj rito.

Una gran mierda que baja el nivel.

Que las LCS han aumentado con los Bo3.

Ojalá los equipos se pronuncien ante esto.

Zh3RoX

Pues nada, Riot se ha empeñado en destruir el competitivo.

MT_Dulper

Los Viewers >> Los equipos

TL DR mas resumido

1
Kasins

Fnatic S5 el mejor equipo "europeo" que vas a ver en tu vida y jugaban BO1, y luego en scrims ganaban un 80% contra equipos del mundial SKT incluido.

BO1= + viewers
BO3= aburrido - viewers
La liga regular deberia ser a bo1 TODAS, excepto LCK que eso si da gusto verlo aunque sea BO1312312312
EDIT: Y que luego veias un TSM vs ultimo de LCS NA y podian dar la sorpresa y daba mas espectactulo que un BO3 aburrido que se sabia que iba a ganar el de siempre. Es un ejemplo...

2
Eltshan

Los equipos a hablar respecto a esto.

Porque es que joder, te cargas mucho.

Hoy en día los equipos propones subs, cambios de estrategia entre juegos etc.

Pones Bo1 y para qué te sirve tener un maldito sub??

Es que de verdad asco tío-

MT_Dulper

EU fans: Riot Favorece Na Desmasido Hijosputa KYS fags
Riot: Me pregunto que podríamos hacer caritapensante.jpg
RIOT NA: SI?
RIOT: OLA TT QUE soy el tt trindamere no hay huevos a poner B01 otra vez?
RIOT NA: pero si eso es una gilipollez.
RIOT: aber tt que yo mando, eres un pussy, he dicho no hay huevos?
RIOT NA: QUE NO? ME CAGO EN TU RASA PRIMO

1 respuesta
UnleasheD

La mejor decisión de la historia de rito.

NA BO1 es la liga mas divertida que hay,

4 1 respuesta
Gorn99

En NA no habrá subs como tal ya, salvo casos específicos. A la promesa le tienes en la liga de Academys, y si ves que está mejor que el titular le pones un partido

Demonlike

Me parece normal, si quieren basar el franquiciado como al de la NBA, allí los únicos best of son en PO :psyduck:

Majravilla

Prefiero el BO1 veinte mil veces más, fight me

Eltshan

Luego rito pone Bo1 en EU.

Resultado, ¿arriesgar en jovenes promesas?

Ja, ja... No.

ElT8Ny

Para mi el mejor modelo (relacion calidad con de cara al espectador con poder usar subs) es el bo2, da espectaculo (pueden haber sorpresas) y no mata la conpetitividad tanto como bo1.

Ojo que bo3 sigue siendo mejor para los equipos pero muchos son coñazos

B

Lo mejor que hacen, para mí eso de que los BO3 aumentan el nivel es la mayor mentira que hay. Hype.

UnleasheD

La realidad es que si Corea tuviese BO1 ganarían igual.

Pero eso es lo de menos, a mi me gusta más ver bo1, al menos en NA y EU. Y si me beneficia a mi como espectador, pues me parece buena idea.

Singed

A ver si ponen un bo7 en EU para "experimentar con EU como siempre".

3 1 respuesta
Yaya

Pero que cojones, en serio Riot? En Serio?

No le veo sentido alguno, entiendo que es por tema de viewers y reducir el numero de dias de stream, pero joder, que el Bo1 es una puta mierda para la competicion...

En fin, no me gusta absolutamente nada, pero nada de nada, el bo3 era perfecto... Es que bo2 incluso si quieres, pero joder que el Bo1 no ha funcionado bien nunca..

2
Lova

con bo1 le dan mas vidilla al asunto, y si los equipos no están al 100% se van a llevar sorpresas más de un par de veces

Yaya

BTW

We talked these trends through with pros via the NA LCS Players' Association and discussed the pros and cons of more games/competition vs. optimizing for more fans to tune in. When walking through various options, the majority of pros agreed that the benefits of Bo3 did not outweigh the tradeoffs.

Quiero saber quien coño forma parte de la organizacion de los pros, porque ha sido la primera en la frente.

Pepethebest

Esta tontería se acabaría si pusieran las mismas reglas para todas las ligas. Si pones bo1 en NA, bo1 en corea etc. Así seria mas justo para el competitivo para todos, ya que todos tendrían el mismo entrenamiento en sus ligas. Pero como dejan a cada uno hacer lo que quiera, pues a tomar por culo el competitivo para occidente. Lo que no se dan cuenta es que lo que aburre al competitivo es que se sepa ya quien va a ganar los worlds antes de comenzar practicamente, eso si que aburre a la competición.

NaiBaG

En términos de competitividad el bo3 era lo mejor, pero se ha primado otras cosas por delante, espero que también cambie en el resto de regiones.

Rito_Tryhard

Desde que le han puesto el Bo3 a NA, han mejorado en nivel de la liga BASTANTE.

Peor NA bo1 es lo mas divertido que hay.
Sinceramente, Bo1 es lo mejor de cara al espectador medio (la mayoría).

Si le meten el Bo1 a china explota el lol.

Hibachi

Yo también prefiero ver BO1, es mucho más divertido.

Si total, occidente tiene 0 opciones de Worlds, que por lo menos se vean ligas entretenidas y disputadas.

Además, con estos cambios vas a poder volver todos los partidos y que en teoría no coincidan.

1
keygy

yo estoy con jarge si NA cambia a Bo1 q todas las regiones lo hagan por igual si no va a ser una putada para el nivel de NA

Afling

NA bot 1 es la liga más entretenida que hay, gran cambio. Todas las ligas deberían ser bot 1 para que mentir

Muitos

BO2 for life

1 respuesta
ratedx

#25 yo siempre e sido un defensor del BO2 por que hace que los equipos se lo tomen mas en serio por que si eres un g2 y palmas la primera partida por ejemplo contra un ROCCAT o un GIA sabes que ya pierdes 2 puntos y se iguala todo mucho mas.

UnleasheD

Si la liga tiene un nivel muy alto, el bo3 mola porque los partidos interesan de verdad.

Si la liga tiene un nivel medio, cuando juegan equipos de baja tabla no hay dios que soporte un bo3. Si un finde toca dos putas meirdas de partidos pues ya te cagas. Con el bo1 siempre hay algo interesante y las bazofias están intercaladas, con lo que hasta puedes tragartelas.

1 1 respuesta
1 comentario moderado
Pwelete

prefiero el bo1 mil veces

1
Yurii

#27 Por eso los play-off si que renta que sean bo3 y las finales bo5. La mayoria se disfrutan de verdad estando igualadas, algun stomp 3-0 hay pero bueno. Pero para la liga regular incluso los partidos buenos o los que tienen pique tipo CLG vs TSM o FNC vs G2 creo que un bo1 es más emocionante porque no puedes/quieres fallar.

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