League of Legends Continental League explained

League of Legends
Continental League
Sport:esports
Game:League of Legends
Owner:Riot Games Russia
Inaugural:2016
Teams:8
Folded:2022
Champion:Unicorns of Love (3rd title)
Most Successful Club:Gambit Esports
Unicorns of Love
(3 titles each)
Tv:Twitch
Sponsor:Riot Games
Related Comps:League of Legends European Championship
Founder:Riot Games Russia
Domestic Cup:LCL Open Cup

The League of Legends Continental League (LCL;) was the top level of professional League of Legends competition in the Commonwealth of Independent States, organized by Riot Games Russia in 2016-2022. It replaced the SLTV StarSeries that was organized by StarLadder in 2016. There are eight teams in the league. Each annual season of play is divided into two splits, spring and summer, both consisting of five weeks of double round-robin tournament play, which then conclude with a play-off single elimination tournament between the top four teams. The winners of each split qualifies for the Mid-Season Invitational and the World Championship.

Prize pool of the competition in 2016 and 2017 amounts ₽4,5 million per season.[1] [2]

Due to the ongoing 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the LCL's Spring 2022 season was cancelled, with no Summer 2022 or any 2023 or 2024 season played. When the LCL comes back, it may become an EMEA Regional League (ERL) that sends its top teams to EMEA Masters, since the CIS region was consolidated, alongside Europe, Turkey and MENA, into a single EMEA region in 2023.[3]

Results

As SLTV StarSeries

YearSplitChampionRunner-upThird place
2014Season 1Carpe DiemDragon TeamRevival DragonsGood Team Multigaming
Season 2Hard RandomVirtus.proRoXInternationally V
Season 3Dolphins of Wall StreetHard RandomRoXMoscow Five
Season 4RoXMoscow FiveVirtus.proTeam Just
2015SpringHard RandomMoscow FiveVirtus.proGlacial Phoenix
SummerHard RandomDolphins of Wall StreetRoXCarpe Diem

As LCL

YearSplit ChampionRunner-upSemifinalists
2016SpringHard RandomTeam EmpireVega SquadronNatus Vincere
SummerAlbus NoX LunaVega SquadronRoXNatus Vincere
2017SpringVirtus.proVaevictis EsportsVega SquadronM19
SummerGambit EsportsM19Virtus.proTeam Just Alpha
2018SpringGambit EsportsRoXTeam Just (3rd place)M19 (4th place)
SummerGambit EsportsDragon ArmyTeam JustM19
2019SpringVega SquadronElements Pro GamingGambit EsportsM19
SummerUnicorns of LoveVega SquadronGambit EsportsElements Pro Gaming
2020SpringUnicorns of LoveRoXGambit EsportsElements Pro Gaming
SummerUnicorns of LoveGambit EsportsOne Breath GamingCrowCrowd
2021SpringUnicorns of LoveCrowCrowdGambit EsportsOne Breath Gaming
SummerUnicorns of LoveCrowCrowdOne Breath Gaming (3rd place)Vega Squadron (4th place)
2022Cancelled due to the ongoing 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine[4]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Riot анонсировали собственную лигу по LoL для СНГ - Новости - Советский Спорт . 30 December 2015 . . 24 January 2017 . ru.
  2. Web site: Призовые Континентальной Лиги по LoL в СНГ составят 4,5 миллиона рублей . 18 January 2017 . . 24 January 2017 . ru.
  3. News: Esguerra . Tyler . Forging a path: Riot makes sweeping changes to European League ecosystem, including massive regional merger . 13 May 2024 . Dot Esports . 18 November 2022.
  4. Web site: lolesportsru's Tweet (Russian) . twitter.com.