Worlds Groups/Pools need to be redone
This year's worlds have really exciting groups and multiple "groups of death" and should be really exciting. However, there is one tiny problem.
...and that is this year's group B.
Here are the teams:
- Funplus Phoenix (LPL 1st seed)
- J-Team (LMS 1st seed)
- Gigabyte Marines (VCS 1st seed)
- Either Splyce/Damwon/Wildcard based on play-in results
If FPX doesn't get Damwon in this group, this group should be an absolute joke for them. This group contains what people consider to be a top 3 team in the world in FPX, and then 2 wild card level teams in J-Team and Gigabyte Marines. Meanwhile, SKT has to deal with RNG/Fnatic/Clutch and G2 have to deal with Griffin and C9. Even TL will have a hard group if they draw Damwon, they have to play IG and Damwon.
The problem here is that the LMS is given too much priority here. They have 2 pool 2 seeds, but they have not played like a major region in a long time. At this year's MSI, they only won 3 games and only 1 against a major region (NA). They haven't shown up at worlds for the past 2 years (arguably 3) and all of their best talent, such as Maple, Karsa, Swordart, AN, Westdoor, and Mountain have all since retired or moved to the LPL. It's ridiculous that J-Team, AHQ and Gigabyte hold equal value in Riot's eyes to teams like Fnatic, Griffin, RNG, and IG while being placed ABOVE teams like Damwon Gaming.
My suggestion is that there should be 4 pools instead of 3
- All of the 1st seeds from the 4 major regions
- All of the 2nd seeds from the 4 major regions
- 1st seed from LMS, 3rd seed CN, 3rd seed KR, 1st seed VCS
- Play in teams (this includes 3rd seed NA/EU, 2nd/3rd seeds from LMS, and all the other wildcard teams)
This way we can still have fun "groups of death" but nothing like the current group B where Funplus is just getting a free pass into quarters (and if they don't, it would be the biggest choke job in worlds history) because each 1st seed would be guaranteed a 2nd seed from another major region.