The LCS Spring Split has an all-time low viewership, and that’s because it’s a little stressful to watch.
Riot Games was determined to bring back the League Championship Series (LCS) after the disastrous LTA test. But it looks like Riot was right about LCS:i League of Legends the stadium doesn’t care about it.
Riot Has Some Solutions For LCS Low View, But It May Be Too Late
LoL Esports’ situation eased when Riot finally relented and brought back the LCS. The LTA restructuring was heavily criticized by the esports community, with many feeling that it did not really appeal to fans. The view is very low.
Back in June 2025, Carlos Antunes, Head of League of Legends Esports Americas, spoke to Esports Insider about the setback: “We knew things might start off slow – it takes time for people to get used to something new.
“And bringing them back – and introducing new fans – will take a sustained effort.”
But I guess Riot didn’t feel like putting in that effort, bringing the LCS back shortly after. Unfortunately, it did not win the fans. In fact, many had left and refused to return.
For the second consecutive season, the North American region did not exceed 200,000 viewers. And it didn’t really seem to matter which teams were playing or how exciting the games were. No matter how dangerous it was. Average viewers remain around 64,000, a 29% drop from Lock-In a few months ago.
The main reason is the co-streamers. We have discussed the legitimacy of the co-viewing of Esports Insider’s previous broadcasts, following the events like this. Portuguese-language broadcasts and syndication streams tended to boost LCS viewership, but Esports Charts saw a 75% drop in viewership. Did people really watch the LCS back then? Or were they watching whatever their favorite broadcasters were watching? As I’ve argued before, it doesn’t seem like broadcast fans have translated into an official LCS fan base that sings in its prime.
LCS is less compelling to watch. You know how it ends: they won’t have a chance to face European and Asian teams, and they won’t qualify for the world championship. It’s like watching a suspenseful thriller, you know exactly who the killer is before you even sit down with your popcorn.
Riot hopes to make the LCS more attractive by bringing back the best-of-three round robin for the Summer Split. The playoffs for that division will also be held at the Gas South Arena in Atlanta in front of a live crowd, which Riot hopes will increase the buzz. But I don’t think it will completely turn it around. LCS is cooked.
While there are fun teams to watch, interesting storylines, and wild performances, it’s hard to feel invested when you know you’re watching “the worst of the best.” Everything that feels impressive to watch during the LCS will be easily erased by the LEC and LCK teams later on. It’s a little disappointing. Not only are you watching a slow death, but you’re watching the slow death of a band you grow to love.
It’s just depression.
