Last weekend, China’s League of Legends Pro League made headlines with a major announcement. In a press conference, the organization announced their move to a franchised system, beginning this summer. The announcement went on to detail a plan for future expansion, first to 14 teams in 2018, and then 20 at a later date.
In addition to franchising, the league announced their plans for geolocation. In the coming years, the LPL will expand beyond Shanghai into a city-based system that stretches across China. According to LGD manager Nicholas Yang, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Suzhou, and Chengdu have already been identified as possible locations for expansion, with more to come in the future.
This move marks the first time that a major esports league will make the jump to franchising. The LPL will abandon the relegation system this summer, leaving behind a format that has become commonplace throughout esports. This is a huge step forward for competitive gaming, a sign of its legitimacy. For years, people have described esports as a bubble, ready to pop at any second. The step towards franchising provides much-needed security in the world of esports, providing organizations with the opportunity to build long-lasting fanbases.
The shift towards geolocation is another tool for orgs to grow their fanbases. Location-based teams give newcomers to esports an easy way to pick their favorite team. With the power of regional pride, these organizations can inspire long-term fandom for generations to come.
The most compelling part of LPL’s changing format is its implications for other regions in the LoL scene. In his statement on the future of the LPL, Yang also mentioned that this process was originally going to be implemented on a global scale. This adds another layer to the franchising speculation that has surrounded the LCS for the past two splits. It also brings the possibility of geolocation to the table, an interesting development that reflects the trends of the Overwatch League and esports in general. The LPL may just be the first step in a larger path towards global franchising.
