2016 EU CS Changes

Riot·Jan 19, 2016·0 votes·11,646 views

TL;DR: The regular season of the EU Challenger Series (CS) will move to a formalized Best of 2 format with a point system. EU will be broadcast on Tuesdays.

Every year, we take a close look at our amateur system to ensure that Challenger Series continues to provide the best training ground to develop new talent before they enter professional Leagues. Below is a detailed update to the EU CS format, schedule, rule changes and European Regional League changes.

What’s the EU CS format?

Schedule; dedicated match day

This year, we’re moving to a dedicated day of Challenger matches for Europe on Tuesdays. There will be three Bo2 matches per day in the EU CS regular season starting on January 26, running for 5 weeks. We’ll be broadcasting all six matches on Tuesdays.

Week 1: 1/26
Week 2: 2/2
Week 3: 2/9
Week 4: 2/16
Week 5: 2/23

Format

Starting this Spring, the regular season of the EU Challenger Series will transition to a formalized Best of 2 (Bo2) with a point system. The following points will be awarded per series:

Win = 3 points
Draw = 1 points
Loss = 0 points

We decided to adopt the formalized Bo2 to give CS teams more practice in best-of formats, as well as respond to player feedback that preferred less time between games. We want Challenger teams to be prepared for back-to-back games and a Best of 5 series for the Promotion Tournament.

Playoffs

We’re also expanding the playoffs from a BO3 to a BO5 format to better equip CS teams for the Bo5 series in LCS Promotion and beyond. All Playoff matches will now be held at the EU LCS studio.

Due to the changes to the LCS Promotion, there will no longer be a third place match. The prize for third and fourth place will become an even split to match. We’ll be introducing the revamped Promotion/Relegation System at the Promotion Tournament on March 24-27.

Spring Playoffs will take place on:

Semis: 3/8 (2nd vs. 3rd, Bo5) and 3/9 (1st vs. 4th, Bo5)
Finals: 3/15 (Bo5)

Promotion Tournament

As we announced with the LCS rules changes, we’ll be introducing the revamped Promotion/Relegation System at the Promotion Tournament on March 24-27.

What other changes are happening with CS?

In the recent LCS rules changes and Challenger Series Qualifiers update, we shared some major policy changes coming to Challenger including a revamped Promotion/Relegation System and player loans.

NA CS

More information on the NA CS changes and schedule will be released soon, keep an eye on lolesports.com

When does the EU CS start?

The regular season of the EU CS begins on January 26.

How do I catch the EU CS action?

Games will be broadcast live from 6:00PM CET on Tuesdays. All games will be available after broadcast as VODs on lolesports.com.

European Regional Leagues

Alongside our Challenger Series Qualifier update we announced the involvement of National Leagues (now officially called European Regional Leagues, or ERL) in Germany, Poland and Spain. For the Summer Challenger Series Qualifiers we are aiming to expand the number of European Regional League champions to include UK, France and the Nordic regions. This will now bring the total to 6 teams that will represent their region in the Summer CS Qualifiers taking place in May. Teams from each of the new regions are also required to be compliant with the Interregional Movement Policy. The number of slots available to Open Qualifier teams will not be affected by these additions.

We introduced European Regional Leagues as a way of exploring new competitive directions for teams united by language, culture, or geographic region in Europe and strengthening the path to pro. By identifying regional champions, we can run European tournaments in a country vs. country bracket. This gives players and teams focused on local leagues more opportunities to compete, grow local fanbases and garner exposure before potentially working their way into the EU CS or EU LCS.

ESL UK Premiership

We’ve partnered with ESL UK to award the winning team in the upcoming UK Premiership a chance to play in the CS Qualifiers going forward. Their signups have recently opened and you can check out their schedule here.

Challenge France

France is one of our most competitive regions, so while we don’t have a long-term tournament partner right now, we wanted to include France in our ERL line-up. Challenge France is one of the most competitive French League of Legends tournaments involving some of the best teams in the country. The tournament is currently at the semi-finals stage with the finals scheduled for the end of February. The winning team will be awarded a chance to represent France in the Summer CS Qualifiers.

Nordic region

With the success of the Nordic Open event in 2015, we will be running a similar 2016 tournament in the Nordic regions and the winning team will be awarded a spot in the Summer CS Qualifiers. This will be a EUW and EUNE combined tournament for any teams from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden (and their autonomous regions). More information about signups and schedule will be released soon over on Leagueoflegends.com

11 Comments

Earl EulrichJan 19, 20162 votes

you know, just offering information the CS on your esports page might actually make it a tad easier for those teams to be watched and get some sponsoring...is there a special reason you don´t have schedules nor information about the right now ongoing qualifiers anywhere on lolesports?

CanechurchJan 19, 20162 votes

Hey Don, Remer here

We are looking to get that up for the start of the CS split - there'll be more information, including a CS section, up soon.

Earl EulrichJan 19, 20161 votes

well, considering the Qualifier today so far really is exciting to watch as both teams are really close - maybe try to promote those a bit more in the future? It´s really hard finding information on anything not-lcs related (e.g. without using Schattenlauchs LoLevents i wouldn´t even have known there´s a CS qualifier today)...so especially with the more complex CS-qualifiers from now on, splitting up EU in a lot of seperate regions it´s gonna be tough getting excited about these if it´s just mostly a bunch of unknown players/teams you won´t find anything on. I´m still really not sure if it´s the right step here.

Ale non è maleJan 19, 20162 votes

Why Italy is always penalized? It is the only big community in EUW that will not have a spot in the next CS Qualifier. italy never go a single event That's really unfair towards Italain fans

Earl EulrichJan 20, 20161 votes

i guess riots just lacks infrastructure there?

i personally really don´t like this nation-sub-league thing anyway. Even though current politics want to divide Europe farther than it has been even in medieval times i think for the current lol-esports-structure there´s absolutly no need to seperate Europe on this aswell.

Ale non è maleJan 20, 20161 votes

If you read the article, the Nordic region does not have a proper solid tournament that is yet existing, and Riot is going to use as support but it is Riot itself that is going to organize it

That's why the lack of infrastrcture excuse doesn't hold on

Italy is really a minor e-sports country, but it has amateur/semi pro orgs as well as the other countires (heck, some orgs are even relevant in other e-sports), that are going to be at an even bigger disadvantage now in LoL

Earl EulrichJan 20, 20161 votes

though they put all the north together in one torunament...to compare that to italy you should maybe make a sort of south-end tournament and bring along the greeks and everyone willing on the balkans.

still, i´m hoping someday we´ll all move on and leave that nation-stuff behind us.

Ale non è maleJan 20, 20161 votes

[{quoted}](name=Don Eulrich,realm=EUW,application-id=9hBQwnEU,discussion-id=8bJunJiE,comment-id=0002000000000000,timestamp=2016-01-20T13:59:42.430+0000)

though they put all the north together in one torunament...to compare that to italy you should maybe make a sort of south-end tournament and bring along the greeks and everyone willing on the balkans.

still, i´m hoping someday we´ll all move on and leave that nation-stuff behind us.

Greeks and balcans are(should be) on EUNE server though, Italy partner on EUW should probably be Switzerland - and portugal should be able to compete in Spanish tournament, as well as benelux either in french or german tournament or have one their own -

I am against this thing of regional leagues getting an automatic spot into CS qualifier, but at least if you want to implement it, don't leave some big country out screwing them

I find it hilarious that at this point you are screwing Italy, Portugal, Benelux countries and Switzerland on EUW, and Greece, Balkans, Central-Eastern Europe countries because thay are son of nobodies

You either don't implement the system at all (that imho is bad and screw orgs with players from multiple countries) or you find a way to put every EU country in a tournament that give a pas for CS qualifier, even if it means to unite multiple countries on a tuornament like they did for Nordic countries

TrollFan01Jan 19, 20161 votes

Cool we're getting an early look into the BO2 format before Summer.

SupportIsSoFreeJan 20, 20161 votes

now that EU teams will be playing more games, wouldnt this be unfair when it comes to fantasy draft because now teams with more eu players can potentially get more points?

SupportIsSoFreeJan 20, 20161 votes

justkidding, i just realized this is for CS