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The League of Legends Esports scene has been shocked after the latest update released by the North American organization TSM. Owner Andy "Reginald" Dinh has stated that TSM would be leaving the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) at the start of the 2024 League of Legends esports season.
TSM is one of the most iconic organizations in LCS history, and this update has caught a lot of fans and pundits off guard.
This organization's success during its time in the LCS is unmatched, and this update marks a dark day in the history of the LCS as it continues to deteriorate further compared to other tier-one regions.
TSM will compete in a new tier-one League of Legends region in 2024
Possible reasons
TSM has been in the LCS for over a decade and recently hit rock bottom regarding results. One of the main reasons that Reginald stated in the update was that TSM would do "whatever it takes" to win a world championship and that the organization was not hesitant in moving to a different region if it meant that they had the best chance to win the Summoner's Cup.
It is also no secret that TSM has had financial woes for a while. After FTX went bankrupt, TSM had to cancel their $210 million naming rights partnership with the cryptocurrency company resulting in significant economic damages for the North American organization.
With the move to a new tier-one region comes the possibility of new sponsorships and marketing strategies, which can alleviate their financial troubles, give the organization a fresh start, and build a new fanbase.
Where is TSM headed to?
In the update video, Reginald stated that TSM would be shifting to a tier-one League of Legends esports region with assistance from Riot Games. This narrows the possible destinations of TSM to Korea's League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK), China's Tencent League of Legends Pro League (LPL), and Europe's League of Legends EMEA Championship.
Fans have started speculating that the LPL would be the most likely destination TSM would be heading towards. This could be possible as the North American organization has signed Chinese and Taiwanese players in the past and could have the potential to build a fanbase in the LPL.
Regardless of where TSM is headed, it will be a while until they can genuinely establish themselves and integrate into the league's ecosystem. It will be a fresh start, and everything has to begin from scratch for the North American organization.
Implications for the LCS
The biggest loser in this whole situation has to be the LCS. The LCS has suffered a significant dip in viewership over recent years, and the downward trend continues throughout the 2023 season. With the departure of the established and storied organization Counter Logic Gaming came the loss of a dedicated fanbase.
TSM is one of the most popular organizations but has seen a significant decrease in recent performances and a lack of interest in investing in the LCS. Despite this, losing them from the league deals is a massive blow to the viewership of the LCS.
The decrease in viewership leads to the withdrawal of more sponsorships, and this creates a snowball effect as the LCS cannot produce content to the quality of leagues such as the LPL, LCK, and LEC.
The LCS is in a precarious position, and the departure of TSM could be the start of a grim fate for North America's most prestigious League of Legends tournament.
