LCS Players Vote "Overwhelmingly" In Favor of Walkout

The LCS Summer 2023 Season may not start anytime soon after the LCS Players voted in favor of the walkout.

The LCS Summer 2023 Season may not start anytime soon after the LCS Players vote in favor of the walkout.

LCS Players Vote For Walkout

The official statement from the LCS Players Association reads as follows:

“The walk out vote has overwhelmingly passed.

This is not a decision LCS players have come to lightly. Countless discussions and debates were had between all LCS players in the week leading to this historic vote. One thing is clear from those conversations – our players want to play and compete above all else. Joining hands to put competition aside is a testament to the significance and urgency of the issues at hand.

We stand at this impasse because actions were taken by Riot without prior communication or discussion with the LCS players. The LCSPA sincerely hopes Riot will avert this walk out by joining us in the coming days to have open and transparent discussions so that we can forge collaborative solutions to ensure the best futures for the LCS and the NACL.”

This follows weeks of the LCS Players' Association's criticism of Riot Games after the latter announced the “evolution of the NA talent development pipeline,” an act that the LCSPA saw as Riot's lack of commitment to the North American Challengers League. In the published response by the LCSPA to the Riot announcement, they described it as “[an] unprecedented decision to destroy the NACL less than a month before the start of the 2023 NACL Summer Split with no plan – and no warning” and “a stain on [Riot's] leadership.”

The LCSPA's Demands

Soon after the response was published and the announcement that a vote for a walkout will happen, the LCSPA made their asks of Riot known:

Institute “VALORANT Style” promotion and relegation between the LCS and NACL
Riot commit to a revenue pool for player salaries of $300k per NACL team per year
Allow LCS orgs to partner with affiliates for cost-sharing
Riot guarantees LCS minimum contracts for the following year for the 5 players who win the LCS summer finals each year.
Institute a 3/5;s roster continuity rule to provide players on released NACL rosters 1st priority in maintaining their slots in the upcoming NACL season if a majority continue to compete together

As of the time of writing, Riot Games are yet to publicize a response.