LCS Players Association Announces Walkout in Protest of NACL Changes Ahead of LCS Summer 2023 Split

This weekend marks the start of the LCS Summer 2023 split, and the LCS Players Association (NALCSPA) has announced that they will boycott it in opposition to recent changes made to the NA Challengers League.  The period leading up to the League of Legends LCS Summer Split 2023 has been turbulent for North America. Many players’ futures are uncertain due to Riot Games’ announcement on May 12 that it was caving into clubs’ demands and letting them choose not to field NA Challengers League lineups. 

As a result, all ten of the LCS teams—except three—have announced that they will be abandoning their academy rosters. The LCS Players Association voted to leave due to the changes just over a week before the Summer split, and the player union has officially declared that the vote “overwhelmingly passed.”

Players in the LCS have decided to hold a walkout in protest of the NACL reforms

All ten LCS teams have representatives in the Players Association, so a sizable portion of each team’s squad may participate in the now-official walkout. However, as of this writing, several of the rosters for the Summer Split have yet to be adequately revealed.  This is not a choice that the LCS players have made lightly, according to the LCSPA, which made the news. In the week leading up to this historic decision, all LCS players engaged in many discussions and disagreements.

These chats made one clear: our players’ top priorities are to play and compete. The importance and urgency of the issues are demonstrated by working together to put competition aside.  The association adds that if Riot is open to discussing options for the LCS and NACL, the walkout may still be avoided. 

Although the Summer Split was scheduled to begin on June 1, the walkout may have delayed that start date since the competition can only continue with its participants. It will be up to us to wait and see if Riot reacts in time. The walkout follows CLG closing its doors and awarding NRG Esports its LCS spot. And the illustrious LCS organization, TSM, announced their intention to quit the league and move to another Major region.