TL;DR:
- We’re leveling up our support of coaching in the LCS.
- Head Coaches will now be officially recognized as LCS team members.
- Each team will be provided monetary support to shore up their ability to attract and retain a quality Head Coach and coaching staff.
- LCS Head Coaches will now be subject to behavioral checks, required to attend their teams’ matches in person, and held to the highest standard of conduct in and out of game.
- LCS Head Coaches will now be on-stage and able to communicate with their players during the pick-ban phase.
Recognition of Coaches: Privileges and Responsibilities
As we’ve seen teamwork, synergy, and strategy become increasingly core to successful LCS play, we’ve also seen the infrastructure around teams, including coaching, become a critical component to their in-game success. Effective coaches can provide guidance to players and instill and reinforce values such as discipline and teamwork, the benefits of which can extend far beyond the confines of an LCS match or a pro player’s career.
As we previously
announced, we’ll be officially recognizing the Head Coach of each team beginning with the 2015 Spring Split. Along with this recognition come many new privileges and expectations for Head Coaches.
New privileges include but are not limited to:
- Head Coaches will now be formally recognized as LCS Team Members.
- Each team will be provided monetary support of $12,500 to shore up their ability to attract and retain a quality Head Coach, and an additional $12,500 per split to spend on coaching staff as they see fit.
- Head Coaches will be fully involved in the pick-ban phase and able to communicate with their players until the conclusion of champion select.
- LCS officials will only accept a team’s weekly roster confirmation from its Head Coach.
New expectations for coaches include but are not limited to:
- All prospective Head Coaches must pass the same behavioral checks that prospective players do in order to be admitted into the LCS, and will be held to the highest standard of conduct both in and out of game.
- All teams will be required to have their Head Coach physically present at all of their LCS matches, barring emergencies.
- Coaches will not be subject to the Interregional Movement Policy, however, they may only coach for one organization at a time.
Coaches Join the Pick-Ban Phase
One of the most significant changes stemming from the new LCS policy on coaches is that for the first time we’ll be allowing Head Coaches to be on stage and communicate with their players during champion select via headset, though not during games.
We’ve seen the importance of having a strong pick-ban phase rise over the past two seasons. In particular, there’s been an emphasis on the the importance of strategy and quick adaptation during the pick-ban phase. Incorporating coaches into champion select will allow teams to leverage the decision-making and focus of their Head Coach to help them exploit opponents’ weaknesses and better react to unexpected or highly-targeted pick-ban strategies. We believe that will result in more strategic depth in the league, and ultimately, more compelling games.
We look forward to seeing coaching continue to develop in the LCS, and believe that the results will be great both for players and fans alike.
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