LoL breaks new viewership records with 2020 LEC Summer Split

William Davis Published 16/07/2020

The LEC registered a massive growth in viewership in the first half of the 2020 LEC Summer Split.

According to statistics shared by Riot Games, the first half of the LEC summer had 108% more hours watched, for a total of 13,454,941 hours. The LEC also registered its highest viewership peak ever in the regular season with 479,784 viewers.  On the content side, the LEC has over 1 million views across multiple platforms of its parody of Diplo’s “On My Mind” music video.

These numbers solidify the LEC as the most watched League of Legends competition in the west. By comparison, the LCS is having some of the lowest viewership numbers in the league’s history.

Why is the LEC broadcast better than the LCS?

At this point, it’s undeniable that the LEC is a superior product compared to the LCS in several aspects. Putting aside the competitive scene and the level of the competing teams, the LEC still has a lot going in its favor.

The LEC has likable casters and hosts that engage viewers on the league’s content, and this is a more diverse and lively group of talent than that which the LCS employs.  The talent team in the LEC doesn’t take itself too seriously, as they’re willing to laugh at both popular memes and themselves. In contrast, some fans find the LCS broadcast to either be overly serious or to be trying too hard to be funny.

The LEC understands its audience and delivers content that speaks directly to them. The LEC treats its comedy sketches with the same care as its educational segments.  When it comes to integrating a sponsor or partner into the broadcast, the LEC goes above and beyond to create ads that revolve directly around both the product and League of Legends. Yes, they might be selling blenders, but they have pro players getting in on the act and having fun with it.

It’s clear that the LEC knows its product and the league is not trying to be anything othre than what it is. It’s a silly, fun, and welcoming league, and most viewers would be hard press to assign those same descriptives to the current iteration of the LCS.

The LEC returns on July 17.

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