The possible removal of the LCS import rule has been a widely debated topic as of late. Let’s discuss and talk about some reasons why its removal probably won’t mean change for the better.
For those who’ve been out of the loop, let’s give you a brief recap. In early February, Travis Gafford broke the story that LCS teams reportedly wanted to remove the import rules that are currently in place in the LCS. This would mean organizations would get free reign, and they’d be able to bring fully Korean, Chinese or European teams to the competition, whereas they’d need to field a certain number of U.S. residents under current rules.
Ever since the news got out the topic gained a lot of traction, not only between fans of the LCS but also between some team owners who have been pretty vocal on social media (Jack Etienne of C9 and Andy “Reginald” Dinh of TSM are prime examples). Recently players also chimed in on the import rules, which brings us where we are today. Let’s look at some reasons why removing the import rules won’t fix North American League of Legends.
Offending the fans
One of the biggest arguments that simply can’t be ignored, which is also evident by the outcry we’ve seen on social media, is the reaction of the fans. Fans of the LCS clearly want their homegrown talent to succeed. Sure it’s nice to win internationally once in a while, but those wins have to feel earned. Bringing in an (almost) full team from another region to dominate your local competition, does not fulfill that need.
The year is 2025
LCS has abolished the import rule
Teams buy Korean Academy teams on the cheap
A few orgs thrive. A majority lose all fan engagement and continue sucking
Tyler1’s TCS has become the most-watched LoL tournament in NA
NA still fails to make top 8 at Worlds
— The Esports Writer (@FionnOnFire) February 19, 2021
Seeing players work hard at their craft and rise up from the bottom all the way to the top is what drives a league like the LCS. Having teams which feature talent you can relate to is incredibly important to your competition, not only because of the possible storylines it creates which fans can pick up on, but also because it helps in growing out your region and gets people interested and inspired. A lot of fans are scared of having that taken away from them and they might lose interest in a league that has become alien to them.
No trust in the process of developing own talent
Solo queue in North America isn’t necessarily known for its quality. We should also mention the high amount of ping issues that plague the servers, with lots of players having to play on unreasonably high ping, an issue that still hasn’t been resolved (which is of course out of the teams and players hands). A lot of players who have either competed within the LCS and are forced to play solo queue in the North American region have spoken up about it, alongside a lot of League of Legends content creators. It’s often been said that the region lacks creativity, a technical foundation and dedication to the game.
NA solo rank is really not valuable
but i’m gonna keep playing anyway
some times are okay tho— Bang 배준식 (@Bang) January 30, 2020
Of course that isn’t the whole story. Talent over in North America simply hasn’t been allowed to grow fully, with focus only really shifting towards the development of young players in the past two years. Infrastructure in Korea, China and especially Europe has been in place for a longer time and has yielded far better results in developing up-and-coming talent. Getting to that point requires trust and patience in a process that’s clearly been kickstarted lately, but that of course doesn’t work for owners who want to win right now.
Long term success?
One of the other arguments to remove the import rules is the pursuit of both domestic and international success, with the latter of course being something the North American region has been sorely lacking in. Buying a winning roster and simply moving them to come and compete over in the North American region isn’t a solution though, as many have already commented on it.
If nothing is done about the quality of the solo queue, if the status of the North American server as a whole remains stunted and the ping issues aren’t resolved, good teams will struggle to maintain their form and stay on top of the competition. You’ll end up with a competition nobody really calls home anymore, with minimal fan support, operating at a huge loss. It’d be sad to see the LCS reduced to that.
The whole competitive scene in League of Legends is built around the different regions firing each other up. Teams have huge fanbases, deeply rooted in the history of their respective regions. It’d be a shame to see that history thrown to the wayside for quick and temporary success, which undoubtedly comes at a great cost.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Join the discussion on social media or our Discord!
You can also help improve our website by submitting direct feedback!