Doublelift & League broadcast talent condemn Riot over new LEC sponsor

League of Legends casters, broadcast talent, and legendary pro player Yiliang ‘Doublelift’ Peng have hit out at the LEC and Riot Games following the announcement of a new sponsor, NEOM, for the 2020 summer split.

Riot Games and the LEC were met with harsh criticism after the European league announced, on July 29, that they would be partnering with a new sponsor, NEOM, for the remainder of the summer split.

NEOM, a smart-city that is currently being built in Saudi Arabia, is expected to play a role in the LEC’s broadcast, sponsoring a new ‘Oracle Lens’ segment during live broadcasts to predict future plays within a game.

Saudi Arabia has also partnered with BLAST, a CS:GO tournament organizer, in a similar arrangement. Jan Peterson, NEOM’s Sport Managing Director, revealed their aims to “become a global hub for sport that unites communities, enables active, balanced lifestyles, and accelerates innovation.”

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In a deal with NEOM, the LEC’s new partnership is set to commence from Week 7, however, many members of the broadcast talent spoke out shortly after it was announced.

Doublelift & LEC members hit out at Riot over new sponsor

Shortly after the announcement, Doublelift quoted the tweet with a sarcastic one of his own, clearly denouncing the partnership.

Among the first to speak out was LEC commentator Daniel Drakos, who shared his frustrations minutes after the announcement was made, claiming that it was ‘not a good day’ to be a member of the LEC.

South African caster Trevor ‘Quickshot’ Henry also hit out over the latest decision, simply responding to the announcement by linking an article on some of the controversies that have surrounded NEOM, since the project was first announced.

Froskurinn also shared her feelings, expressing her disappointment at those within the LEC and Riot who “made these choices,” adding that she feels “silenced” by the move.

https://twitter.com/Froskurinn/status/1288441863540703232

Many other members of the broadcast team including Laure, Sjokz, Medic, Vedius, and more also took a stand against the latest partnership, expressing their “disappointment” with the LEC.

The LEC Summer Split is currently ongoing, with Week 7 starting on Friday, July 31.