Arnold Hur, chief executive for heavyweight esports organization Gen.G, has today called for Riot Games to consider a new business model League of Legends esports as the LCS walkout and subsequent season delay reverberates across the community.
Over the past few weeks, North American League has spiraled into chaos following Riot’s decision to scrap the rule requiring LCS orgs to field NA Challengers League rosters, all of which has led to players staging a walkout strike.
The 2023 Summer Split was eventually delayed on May 30 and NA’s Worlds participation is now in question.
Related: What is the LCS walkout and what does it mean?
Riot’s rule changes and the original vote in favor of the move from all 10 LCS owners were meant to alleviate the financial difficulties the orgs have been experiencing—a situation more League teams have been facing in other leagues too.
Gen.G boss Hur revealed his org’s team has never turned in a profit, despite leading the LCK in sponsorship revenue over the last 36 months, and suggested one solution in NA and across the wider ecosystem would be for Riot officials to put their heads together and come up with another business model for League esports.
Hur suggested any future model would need to focus on keeping participating orgs afloat and ensuring staff and players were paid fair and reasonable salaries.
There are several options on the table, the Gen.G boss continued, including Riot employing a split revenue stream for viewership, more digital incentives to entice fans, or even simply releasing physical products like stickers.
Whether Riot would come to the table remains to be seen. The officials in charge of League esports have agreed to meet with the LCS Players Association in a bid to stop the player walkout ahead of the Summer split but knocked back basically all of the representative body’s five requests in a statement released on May 30.
Keep up with further developments in Dot’s ongoing coverage hub.
