The e-sports for League of Legends is growing larger. This was also evident at the finals of the Worlds 2024. MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes was on site and unexpectedly got goosebumps. And that was even before the actual games began.
I never had strong feelings about e-sports. I like watching it to see how professionals play video games on a level that I probably will never reach myself. This was also the case with League of Legends.
For the Worlds 2024, I had the opportunity to be present live at the finals. I could see the battle between BLG and T1 myself.
I didn’t have high expectations. I just wanted to experience a major e-sports event live. But I was completely surprised. I got goosebumps and was cheering before the actual matches started.
The Beautiful Side of the Community
The finals of the Worlds started with musical acts, the most famous probably being Linkin Park. This really boosted the mood in the arena. People were dressed up in every corner, either in elaborate cosplay or simply as fans of the two teams. League of Legends has long been more than just a game, and you can feel that live in the community.
I initially had no strong feelings for either team. I didn’t really care who won, but that changed when a video was played. The video featured the 10 players, and various family members expressed their pride.
The video showcased the ambitions of the players, the pressure, and the human side that you rarely see behind the screen. You could just feel how much the game meant to each individual player.
Suddenly, I had goosebumps. I wanted to see the players win. You could feel the passion that the players brought to the stage. Even before the actual matches, I was captivated and not alone. The many fans celebrated the players and the teams they desperately wanted to win.
The beautiful thing was that there was no animosity toward the other team. I felt comfortable in the community, and there was no sign of the toxic reputation of the players. No matter who you were cheering for, the entire arena celebrated League of Legends.
You can watch the mentioned YouTube video here:
The Best Game I Could Experience Live for the First Time
The matches themselves also intensified my new enthusiasm. T1 won, but it was a great final. Both teams fought for victory and did not give up even after defeats and setbacks. BLG and T1 showed what LoL should look like at the highest level.
Even if you don’t follow e-sports, as a LoL fan, you should watch the 5 matches because that is precisely what you love about League of Legends.
But I was particularly fascinated by the composure of the teams. With every defeat or setback in the matches, they remained calm. They kept fighting and tried to make the most of every situation. The teamwork also impressed me.
At that point, I was already fully engaged. I would have been happy for both teams, even though you could tell in the stadium that T1 had significantly more fans. But the BLG fans were also well represented. Right behind me sat a group of Chinese fans, and their enthusiasm for great plays completely swept me away.
Finally, I Understand Football Fans
The final showed me an emotional side of e-sports that I could empathize with and immediately made me think of football fans. In my family, there are many football fans who regularly watch the games and celebrate both goals and losses, and thanks to the Worlds 2024, I was able to truly understand that for the first time.
I also cheered this time; different tactics surprised me, and even clumsy deaths or poor decisions made me tear my hair out.
I can finally understand why for many football fans, visiting a stadium is a major highlight, because I experienced that myself in LoL.
After this final, I want more. I am really looking forward to 2025 and the upcoming professional matches and, of course, the Worlds. The 2024 final did what I never thought was possible: I became an emotional e-sports fan.
For many fans, the current T1 is the best roster that the Korean team has ever had. Even aside from Faker, Gumayusi, Keria, Zeus, and Oner enjoy a large fan base. But what does the future hold for the team: LoL: The contracts of 4 players at T1 are expiring; will the championship team stay together in 2025?
