So about those gates in Summoner's Rift...

I honestly think they're one of the worst changes to the map Riot has implemented. Everything about the new Summoner's Rift has been designed with lengthening matches in mind, and I see this as them trying to make the professional level matches more exciting. Here's the problem I see with these gates: they're a free escape. In a game where you already have the ability to TP back to your base without a scroll, have brush and paths to juke and outmaneuver through, apparently the base, where you can most easily defend yourself, is where they decide to add a defensive feature. It's already difficult enough to push into a base given the advantage of constant turret presence, as well as the high ground vision that keeps an attack uninformed.

These gates give the enemy team a much faster method of escaping attacks near the base, as well as flanking the enemy team. Not to mention, these gates undermine the value of a well placed Blitz hook. You've already lengthened match potential by changing turret features and changing up the Dragon bonuses, but this feature makes grabbing Baron borderline necessary to break through, even if you are already holding the advantage. You want matches to last longer? The players on the losing team need to play smarter and draft better. Simple as that. A loss is never due to the players not having enough options, it's due to them not using the options they had and getting backed into a corner.

Just look at the final match for the 2014 Dota international. It was woefully onesided and ended at 15 minutes for a match worth $5,000,000. How did this happen? Poor drafting and execution. The enemy team did everything to capitalize on the mistake, so of course they should have won the match quickly. Video related.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4eyMJtqU2U&index=33&list=LLdzrRJVL_arQ7Xplx3X1lJQ