Why is CLG complaining about its Proving Grounds seeding?

Greg Kim, the head of the North American esports organization Counter Logic Gaming, is taking to Twitter to voice his grievances with the CLG Proving Grounds seeding for its League of Legends Academy team.

The head of CLG highlighted that its Proving Grounds seeding meant that CLG would be facing an Academy team while Team Liquid’s Academy squad gets a more advantageous matchup against a collegiate team despite finishing below Counter Logic Gaming in the standings.

Explaining CLG Proving Grounds seeding

Despite finishing in first place in the NA Academy 2022 Spring Split, Counter Logic Gaming finds itself matched up against a fellow Academy roster in the Proving Grounds best-of-three playoff stage. Team Liquid who finished fourth in the 2022 Academy Spring Split and somehow ended up with an easier matchup. The head of CLG took to Twitter to highlight what he views as a discrepancy in their strength of schedule despite better placing.

how come team liquid academy is playing a collegiate team and we’re playing an acad team tomorrow after finishing first?

— Greg Kim (@KimDynasty) March 21, 2022

Given that every LCS organization participating in Proving Grounds will have far more resources than any of the amateur or collegiate teams, Greg Kim highlighted the apparent punishment for Counter Logic Gaming placing well. Academy teams are seeded into the tournament based on placement, but the current iteration has resulted in them facing stronger opponents earlier just because they performed well in Academy.

The difference between the buying power, practice resources, and prestige of collegiate or amateur programs compared to LCS organization’s Academy versions mean that a top-four Academy team will on average be much stronger than squads at the college and amateur levels. Having the best-performing Academy team be seeded into another Academy team while fourth-place Academy team faces a collegiate roster leaves many League of Legends esports fans scratching their heads.

Nothing will change in time for this Proving Grounds, but seeing a revised seeding method meant to prioritize Academy performance wouldn’t be a surprise with the head of an LCS team voicing problems with the Proving Grounds seeding system.