Riot Games announced changes to its Valorant tournaments and League of Legends tournaments for 2023, and among the promises of new formats and improved scheduling was a change that has some fans less than happy. Riot is changing LoL tournament times during the week, moving the esports events earlier in the day – rather earlier than most fans want.
“Weekdays are an underserved opportunity. Research has shown that the demand for LoL Esports and game content is split evenly between weekdays and weekends,” Riot said in the announcement. “Whether it’s getting ready for a night of playing, or watching a favorite stream while studying, viewing esports has become part of a weekday routine for many of us. Big events will still be anchored around weekends, but the viewing behaviors we have seen in the VCT, LCK, and LPL showed that there was an appetite for content on other days as well.”
To that end, matches in the championship series will air on Thursdays and Fridays at 12 p.m. Pacific time. It’s a curious move and the only broadcast change that puts events on air in the middle of the day for North and South American viewers, on a workday and a school day at that. Valorant matches will air during the week as well, but start after 5 p.m. Central time
Fan reaction was generally negative.
“What sort of research tells you that [championship series] is best at 12 pm when people have work/classes,” one Twitter user wrote.
Popular Twitch streamer Brian Kibler was even more blunt.
“I guess I’m done ever watching [championship series] anymore, and I’ve been a regular watcher since literally day one,” he wrote on Twitter. “Noon on weekdays is a completely insane time to broadcast and expect anyone to watch.”
Whether Riot takes fan feedback on board remains to be seen, but for the first few months of 2023 at least, this is their broadcast plan.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF
