After completing the Worlds 2025at them T1 won the title for the third time in a row, Chris Greeley, Global Head of League of Legends Esports, spoke about the biggest challenges in the competitive ecosystem in a detailed conversation with Dot Esports. His statements paint an honest picture: Special Tier 2the most important stage of development for young talent, remains one of the scene’s core unsolved problems.
Tier 2 remains the problem child
Greeley explained that the second tier of competition is structurally unstable and severely financially underserved. He compared them to the minor leagues in US baseball – ambitious, close to the fans, but hardly economically viable:
“It’s very difficult to attract sponsors at this level. There are dedicated fans who follow talent development, but attracting investment is extremely difficult.”
He emphasized that the system is currently not sustainable:
“Tier 2 is an area that we haven’t been able to structure properly yet… I definitely can’t say that Tier 2 is sustainable for teams and players at this time.”
Riot is considering a global Tier 2 hub that could bring together talent from different regions. However, there is still no solution in sight:
“There are a lot of problems. We don’t have good answers yet, but we’re working on them.”
Growing gap between regions
Another focus of the interview was Korea’s increasing dominance. With three consecutive world titles from T1, the gap is visibly growing:
“How do we close the gap between East and West… or rather between Korea and everyone else?”
One reason for the inequality is the shrinking talent base worldwide. More and more young players are attracted by other titles – especially by VALUING. In addition, the promotion of young talent in League of Legends is hardly standardized internationally:
“The talent development system is not as mature as it could be. And it varies greatly from region to region.”
Sponsorship strategy: open cautiously, but with care
Greeley also spoke about Riot Games’ expanded sponsorship policy. After alcohol and crypto brands were approved, the company is now cautiously opening up to them too betting provider. The step is necessary to stabilize the economic basis of esports:
“We want to create new economic opportunities… but in a way that doesn’t lead fans in the wrong direction.”
He explained that such partnerships fit the target group well:
“We know who is watching our broadcasts – many are over 18. We want to improve commercial opportunities for all parties, but at the same time we have to protect the trust of fans.”
Ultimately, the integrity of the ecosystem is Riot’s top priority.
