Como ya se rumoreaba la semana pasada, Riot va a cambiar cosas para la LCK el año que viene y hoy han tenido una conferencia de prensa donde han dado todos los detalles:
Riot Games KR press conference starting now. Plans for their new LCK-specific stadium to be shared.
- Riot says they invested $7.4m in Korea this year. Budget breakdown is around 4:3:1 for (production) : (pro scene) : (amateur scene).
- New stadium will be on the 3rd floor of the Gran Seoul building near Jonggak Station. This area is the heart of old Seoul. Easy to access via public transportation.
- Stadium will also house a "LoL PARK" area with a Riot-operated PC bang and cafe.
- Arena itself looks like an ampitheatre.
- Riot will take over broadcast production for LCK. Riot says this is a move for the long term (stadium is leased until 2029).
- Riot wants to continue to cooperate with OGN and SPOTV, says the companies are in talks. OGN may get to keep the LCK English broadcast (not confirmed yet). Nothing specific mentioned for SPOTV.
- Nothing specific was mentioned regarding the casters. Riot promises to put together a good lineup, says they will keep their ears open during 2018 (Riot takes over starting from 2019).
- Riot says that the idea was considered for a few years, but the actual decision was made around a year ago. The decision was made by the KR office (KR pitched; HQ approved).
- Ticket pricing is undecided, but Riot doubts that any meaningful profit will be made from ticket sales.
- The new stadium will seat around 450 (quite a bit less than OGN's main arena, but similar to the new Blizzard Arena Los Angeles).
LCK will stay Bo3. No plans for Bo1.- Riot says it's undecided whether LCK casters will remain freelance or become Riot employees from 2019 onwards That’s the end.
En resumen y lo más importante:
- ** La LCK continuará siendo Bo3 **, no hay planes de cambiar a Bo1.
- Se construirá un nuevo estadio en Seúl, en la tercera planta del edificio Gran Seoul, en el centro del viejo Seúl. Unas 450 personas podrán ver los partidos.
- Además del estadio, Riot tendrá su propio PC Bang.
- Riot asumirá la producción de LoL en KR, es un plan a largo plazo, el estadio está arrendado hasta 2029.
- Riot quiere cooperar con OGN y SPOTV, posiblemente la retransmisión en inglés de la liga siga por parte de OGN, aún estan en conversaciones.
- La idea del cambio se lleva considerando algunos años, pero la decisión se tomó hace un año. Decisión tomada por la oficina de Corea.