Bjergsen gives his honest take on claims that LCS is dying
LCS Official | Twitter/LCS | TwitchTeam Liquid mid laner Søren ‘Bjergsen’ Bjerg, one of the longest-standing pros in the LCS, has commented on the perception that the league is dying.
Watching the LCS on an average day, it seems like things are going pretty well. Viewership gets pretty close to 100k during hype matchups, a figure that dwarfs many other esports. But it’s a step down compared to the previous heights of the LCS.
There is something to LCS fans’ concerns about declining viewership, and there’s been a clear downward trend in North America.
Lately, some minor leagues like the LFL (France) and CBLOL (Brazil) have had higher concurrent viewership than the LCS, as well as peaks that dwarf all but the most important LCS matches.
Bjergsen’s history in the LCS goes back to 2013, when he joined TSM from NIP. He has competed in 16 splits in the North American league and won six titles.
As such, he is better equipped than most to comment on the league’s current situation and some of the things that have improved over the years and the average viewer hasn’t noticed.
“Well, a lot of things have improved on the back end on the org side to become more professional and support the players in a better way,” the Danish mid laner told Dexerto. “That might not reflect in the LCS viewership, but that’s something that I’m really happy about.”
Bjergsen then revealed that there’s been an ongoing conversation about viewership in the LCS.
“I don’t know exactly why the viewership might be lower, I don’t think it’s really my place,” he said. “But we have had conversations with Riot. They’re aware of it and have a lot of ideas on things they can look to change within the next few years.”
“I’m definitely hopeful that the LCS can bounce back— I mean, I don’t think it’s dead or dying by any means, but viewership obviously isn’t as high as it was three or four years ago. I think Riot and the teams are going to have to get more creative to get people to care about the LCS and its players again.”
A scene from TOMORROW WE FIGHT, the 2022 LCS Summer PromoThe LCS Summer Split 2022 trailer is a real testament to how hard Riot is pushing the narrative of creating a ‘new era’. And, while there are some fantastic players and compelling personalities in the modern day LCS, it’s hard to say whether or not that’ll be enough to put the league past previous peaks.