LoL: League of Legends’ professional eSports scene (LCS) is losing more and more viewers in Europe. Why is that, and what do “nerds” have to do with it?
Young men shyly smiling at the camera and mumbling a few sentences. This image is often presented when the top players of the LCS step in front of the camera. LCS stands for “League of Legends Championship Series” and consists of the European and North American eSports leagues in LoL.
These shy “nerds” could spell doom for the European LCS. Viewer numbers are continuing to decline in Europe. Fewer viewers mean less money and decreased support for the scene.
There are several reasons why viewer interest is decreasing. In this article, we focus on the personal aspect of the players.
Top players of the LCS are not media personalities
With YouTubers and streamers, the competition is growing. YouTubers and streamers often bring what professional LoL players lack: charisma and a casual approach to their medium. They market themselves to get their channel up and running. This is referred to as “personal branding.” Viewers come back to see the person and follow their story.
Professional players come from a different background. They are just damn good players. They have spent hours grinding to climb to the top of the leaderboard. They played until their fingers bled to perfect their techniques. And at some point, they were possibly picked up by a professional team.
During this time, they became top players, but not media personalities.
Sports thrive on their fans and stars
Now one might say: In eSports, it’s not about being a media personality, but about winning matches. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
Let’s compare it to football. What makes football great? Its fans and the love for their club, their players, and their coaches. Almost everyone will know who a Thomas Müller or a Bastian Schweinsteiger is. Players often stay with their club and in the public eye for years. They are present and make it possible to be a fan.
However, top football players receive intensive media and speech training before they step in front of a camera.
For LCS players, it’s different. They don’t receive training on how to present themselves in front of a camera and in interviews. This often leads to awkward moments that get shared on the internet.
While LoL players are thrown in front of the camera and the audience, the LCS is now getting more professional around them. The analysts and casters have a professional appearance and know how to articulate themselves. Every minute is filled with music that creates hype. Fan chants echo. Players wear jerseys with logos and sponsors. Still, the players struggle in front of the camera.
Why is “personal branding” important for the LCS?
The lack of personality hits us Europeans particularly hard.
In the West, the individual counts, and the single person is in the foreground. In Korea, for example, it’s the collective and the performance that matters. That’s why the Korean eSports scene gets along well without
