These changes are aimed at fostering a more intense and equitable competitive landscape, providing teams with new avenues to secure coveted spots at international tournaments and season finals.
Addressing concerns about the transparency of the 2023 system, the LEC has decided to allocate the same amount of points to teams finishing splits in fifth and sixth place, as well as seventh and eighth place.
This adjustment seeks to level the playing field, ensuring that teams with similar regular-season performances are rewarded equally, thus enhancing fairness and clarity.
Maximillian Schmidt, director of League of Legends esports in EMEA, stressed the need for a more transparent system, stating that the changes for 2024 aim to eliminate uncertainties and emphasize playoff performance over regular-season splits.
In addition to the Championship Points adjustment, the LEC is changing how teams qualify for the LEC Season Finals.
In 2024, the second and third-placed teams from the summer split will secure spots in the season finals, irrespective of their championship points or past results.
Tiebreakers will be determined by the teams’ head-to-head records from the regular season, minimizing the impact of tiebreakers on the competitive landscape.
The LEC is also adjusting the qualification process for international tournaments, with changes for MSI and Worlds.
The MSI qualification system remains mostly unchanged, with Winter and Spring Split winners earning the right to represent the EMEA region.
For Worlds, the Summer Split Champion secures an automatic invitation to the event, regardless of their seeding.
Moreover, the LEC is implementing format and schedule adjustments for the 2024 season.
The group and playoff stages will be merged into a single bracket, aiming to enhance the understanding of the LEC format.
The league is maintaining the same number of best-of-three and best-of-five series to uphold competitive integrity.
Artem Bykov, the LEC commissioner, emphasized the league’s commitment to listening to fan feedback, citing the need for improvement in understanding the LEC format.
The schedule adjustments include extended breaks between Winter and Spring Splits, as well as Spring Split and the Mid-Season Invitational, providing teams more time to rest.
Conversely, the break between the Summer Split and the LEC Season Finals will be reduced to address concerns about lengthy player breaks.
These decisions, coupled with other upcoming changes, reflect the LEC’s dedication to evolving and adapting its format based on fan feedback, promising an unmissable show for EMEA League fans in the upcoming season.
2024 #LEC Update:
We're merging the Group Stage and Playoffs for each split into a single bracket
https://t.co/2yBPKs7HGn pic.twitter.com/3bytNoLnhX
— LEC (@LEC) December 6, 2023
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