The League of Legends European Championship is reporting an 81% increase in average-minute-audience for the first half of its 2020 Summer Split for the first four weeks compared to Summer 2019.
Additionally, the league saw its highest ever peak viewership of 479.8K during Superweek, the term for the LEC’s opening weekend which features an increased number of matches. Notably, this was the first Superweek in the LEC since 2014.
In the last two years, the LEC has embraced a brand identity that diverges somewhat from its North American counterpart. Where the League of Legends Championship Series more closely mirrors a traditional sports broadcast, the LEC has leaned in more to embrace the streaming audience, turning its commentary team into a wacky band of content creators who are also deeply knowledgeable about the game and league.
Additionally, the LEC has become one of League of Legends’ most relevant leagues on the international stage. Historically, League of Legends World Championship finals were dominated almost exclusively by Korean teams, but since 2018 that match has been a contest between Europe and China. South Korea’s dynasty continually drew international viewership to its regional league, and so it is likely that the LEC’s ability to produce championship contenders has also increased international interest in its regional play.
