The LCS is going back to its old ways. The league announced today that it will be returning to a format where teams’ records from the Spring Split won’t carry over into the Summer Split.
The LCS also revealed that the 2022 season will officially begin with the second annual LCS Lock-in tournament on Jan. 14. The Spring Split will begin several weeks later on Feb. 5 and conclude with the Spring Split playoffs (previously known as the Mid-Season Showdown), which are set to wrap up on April 24. The Spring Split finals will also mark the return of live events for the LCS. The grand final match is scheduled to be played at NRG Stadium in Houston.
The LCS format will also undergo significant changes in scheduling for 2022. The league will pivot back to two-day match weeks, with five games being played on Saturdays and Sundays. Only twice per split will matches be played on Friday nights since the LCS is bringing back “Super Weeks” on a sporadic basis. The league believes that the reduced overall number of games “will help combat player burnout while delivering more meaningful matches for our fans,” according to the LCS.
Changes are being made to the North American Academy scene as well. The Academy playoffs are being eliminated in favor of an expansion of the Proving Grounds tournaments.
The LCS will return to action on Jan. 14 with the beginning of the league’s Lock-in tournament. Jan. 14 also marks the opening of the 2022 regular season for Europe’s LEC.
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