LCK Postponed Because of Coronavirus
Coronavirus has left a serious mark not just on the world but also on esports. IEM Katowice took place without a live audience, Overwatch League homestands got postponed, the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational has effectively been canceled (or at the very least pushed to a later date), and so on. Unfortunately, the list still isn’t final. The LCK has just been postponed as well. Indefinitely.
What Happens Now?
This is quite a disappointing piece of news. The current LCK Spring Split has been amazing entertainment-wise. Many fans across the globe wanted to watch some of the best and most talented teams in the world compete. Still, player health and safety should always come first, so it’s commendable to see Riot respond in the only positive and logical way.
South Korea is currently one of four countries that have issued a “level-three warning.” The death toll isn’t nearly as big as in China, but that will also, unfortunately, change over the coming weeks as the virus continues to spread.
The Chinese LPL, on the other hand, will recommence on March 9. Teams will compete for seven days a week up until April 19 to compensate for lost time. You can watch three Best of 3s per day during the first week, with two Bo3 matches planned per day for Weeks 2-5. You can check the updated LPL Spring Split schedule here.
At best, the LCK will get postponed for a month or two. Such a hiatus is by no means monumental and is something that can be compensated, in a similar way to what the LPL is doing now.
Still, it’s a huge logistical complication. It might affect Korean teams and the LCK in many ways we’re not even aware of now. This whole ordeal is a necessity. We can only hope that it doesn’t leave too big of a mark on the entire League of Legends competitive season. If anything, the fact that the 2020 World Championship will still take place in Shanghai is a welcome silver lining.
There’s currently no set return date for the LCK Spring Split. Riot will follow the epidemic to choose an appropriate time to mount a comeback. Stay tuned for more coverage.
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