Get Rid of Play-Ins, Send All Teams Straight to Groups

I'm well aware that many Wildcard regions are far beneath the major regions. But am I the only one that feels like the play-ins aren't a real part of this tournament? The only one that only tunes in when the group stage begins?

This isn't me saying that we should do away with Wildcard teams, quite the opposite in fact. They're their region's champions and have earned the right to play against the true titans of League. So why make them go over yet another arbitrary hurdle? Sure Wildcard regions are weaker but forcing them to play extra games just to make it to groups isn't going to help any.

However Wildcards in the group stage are something else entirely. David vs Goliath stories emerge. KaBum, ANX, INTZ and the like have created iconic stories and moments in League history. Everyone loves an underdog story. Locking 12 underdogs in a cage and forcing them to fight to the death until only 4 are left? Not so much.

League Worlds should run similarly to the format of the FIFA World Cup in soccer. Where even though Europe and South America (the Korea and China of soccer if you will) dominate the rest of the world each region's selected representatives go straight into the group stage, having earned the right to face the world's best. All of the regions regardless of historical results are put into the same stage of the tournament and allowed to let their PLAY sort them out.

Maybe its just me. But I don't find Play-Ins fun or worth watching. However I love watching a Wildcard team threaten to upset a major region, and seeing how ecstatic their fanbases get. I'd love to see a 24 or 32 team format still with groups of 4 but with an added round of 16 in the Knockout stage.