Riot Games' new region, formed by merging the LCS, CBLOL, and LLA, concluded its first split on February 23 with Team Liquid's victory over 100 Thieves in the only BO5 of the League of Legends of The Americas format. However, the viewership numbers paint a concerning picture for LoL in this part of the world. The LTA Cross Conference Grand Final drew just 166.453 viewers—a stark contrast to T1 vs. Hanwha Life Esports, which attracted over 1.9 million viewers, and the LCK Cup Final between HLE and Gen.G, which garnered nearly 1.5 million, not even counting Chinese platforms.

The struggles of the North Conference

Between the North and South Conferences, the North recorded the lowest viewership, peaking at 150,000 viewers for the opening match between FlyQuest and Shopify Rebellion. In comparison, the most-watched game of the LCS Summer 2024 was the grand final between TL and FlyQuest, which drew 260,753 viewers. These low numbers raise even more questions about the format Riot Games chose for this region, where interest in LoL appears to be lower than in Europe or Asia.

More promising statistics in the South

The South region is faring better than the North, driven by teams with large fanbases like LOUD. The most-watched match of LTAS was also the opening match between paiN Gaming and LOUD, which peaked at 254.464 viewers. The South Americans also showed their fervor and support for their teams at LoL Park in São Paulo, bringing life to the competition despite the gameplay level being considered lower compared to other major regions.

A failure of the cross-conference format

The most-watched games of the entire LTA were the cross-conference quarterfinals, specifically the confrontation between Cloud9 and LOUD which reached 291.114 viewers. All the North teams faced the South, however, the level difference was too great, with the North teams easily crushing their opponents. This led to semifinals and a final that were 100% North, drastically lowering the viewership for the remaining games, to the point where even the final didn’t surpass the viewership numbers of the quarterfinals, with a disappointing peak at 166.453 viewers.

The LTA is sending only one representative to the First Stand who will be Team Liquid, victorious in the final against 100 Thieves. On the other hand, the South conference will have no teams participating in Riot Games' first international event. This raises questions about the representativeness of these regions and the level of interest their fans will have in watching a competition in which they will not have a team competing.