LCK reportedly returning soon after coronavirus shutdown

The 2020 LCK Spring Split will be returning soon as an online event.

According to a report by ESPN, the LCK will play the rest of the season online and will be back in action “by the end of March.” The update comes 10 days after the league went on hiatus due to the coronavirus threat.

Earlier this month, Riot Games Korea announced that the LCK would be stopping once the first half of the split was complete. The decision came after a spike in the number of coronavirus cases in South Korea.

The first five weeks of the competition took place in the LoL Park in Seoul without a live audience. The league eventually also restricted the access to the press. The goal was to reduce the risk of infection for players and staff members that attended the LoL Park.

Safety first in the LCK with coronavirus spreading

While it’s possible for the LCK to go back to the LoL Park, the team owners and Riot Korea are not taking any chances. Right now, the safest alternative is to play the games online. It won’t be a difficult transition considering all players are currently at their teams’ facilities. Korea has one of the best internet services in the world, so the teams can compete remotely.

The LCK will become the second league to go online, following the LPL who started the season in similar fashion after a six-week delay. Other leagues like the LEC and LCS might be adopting this format soon. On March 13, the LEC shut down operations when it surfaced that one crew member was exposed to the coronavirus. That same day, the LCS announced a temporary suspension of all activities as a preemptive measure.

Over the weekend, pro players and casters organized a series of in-house games to keep fans engaged. In North America, fans witnessed the return of the ever-popular 2016 Team SoloMid roster.