Riot Games has revealed it will be shifting the start time for League of Legends Championship Series broadcasts after its previous schedule changes were met with significant backlash. The developer of the massively popular MOBA previously announced a suite of changes coming to the competitive scene for its flagship title, looking to spread broadcasts throughout the week. The updates would see the LCS shift from its established weekend afternoon timeslot to Thursday and Friday broadcasts, while the European LEC moves to the weekend. However, fans were not happy with changes made to the tournament series' start time.When Riot Games announced sweeping changes to the schedule for its various global League of Legends circuits, many North American fans quickly raised concerns with the LCS. Start time for LCS broadcasts were confirmed to be moving from their previous mid-afternoon timeslot to a 12:00 PM PT start. Coupled with the move to a weekday broadcast, many fans complained that the new schedule would hinder their ability to watch, given the matches' timing during a workday. Now, Riot Games is looking to address some of the issues raised by LCS viewers.An official update was posted to the LCS' social media accounts on Tuesday afternoon, confirming the start time for LCS broadcasts would be pushed later into the afternoon. The LCS announced broadcasts are now scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM PT, or 5:00 PM ET, on Thursdays and Fridays. The change comes after Riot had received significant backlash from fans over the changes, with some even claiming the LCS is "dying." The LCS has been previously criticized for its level of competition, with fans feeling the North American circuit is significantly weaker than others.
The new changes to the LCS' start time ring in the start of another competitive season for the massively popular MOBA with regional circuits starting up worldwide. The global League of Legends scene has seen a number of changes from last year with major League of Legends pros joining new teams. North America saw several big moves throughout the off-season, with fan-favorite AD Carry Doublelift coming out of retirement to join 100 Thieves and reigning World Champion Pyosik joining Team Liquid.
The new competitive season comes as Riot has implemented major changes to League of Legends for 2023. Quality-of-life updates to League of Legends like new communication tools, build suggestions, and automatic rune page setup have made the game significantly easier for new players. League of Legends has also looked to create a better experience for junglers with the introduction of Jungle Companions and pathing suggestions. 2023 looks to be a strong year for League of Legends, both as a competitive game and for the professional scene.
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