TL;DR
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- The 2023 LCS **Spring Split** begins on **January 26** with **Opening Day presented by Mastercard**. Fans who attend the Riot Games Arena celebration will enjoy an after-hours party, exclusive merch, the return of player meet-and-greets, and more! Limited Priceless experience packages for Mastercard holders, including a poster signed by LCS pros [AVAILABLE NOW][1]
- Our Thursday/Friday LCS matches will now begin at **2pm PT / 5pm ET**, after a 30 minute broadcast pre-show.
- **Tickets** to LCS Spring Split matches at the Riot Games Arena [are available now][2]! Look for new ticket packages and rewards.
- **LCS Spring Finals** will take place on **April 8-9** at **PNC Arena** in **Raleigh, North Carolina. Ticket sales** begin on **January 26!**
2022 marked a major milestone in LCS history — our 10th season that, after two years of remote viewing, reunited our community at some of the biggest live events we’ve ever produced. [Evil Geniuses swept its way to an LCS Spring Split title][3] in front of thousands at Houston’s NRG Stadium, the first time competitive League of Legends was played at an NFL venue. Then, Cloud9 brought us full circle, [winning its first summer trophy][4] since 2013 (the league’s inaugural season) as [11 of the greatest LCS players ever][5] looked on during an emotional LCS Championship at Chicago’s United Center. It was the perfect culmination of a season spent celebrating the past, showcasing the players and personalities that made LCS what it is today.
But that was last year. Our past isn’t going anywhere. Our future, on the other hand? **It Starts Now.**
[1]: https://www.priceless.com/entertainment/product/179388/2023-lcs-opening-day-presented-by-mastercard
[2]: https://www.tixr.com/groups/lcs
[3]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWnDVJi2q-8
[4]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT9JDTbHZAg
[5]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1db-pI-nJA
RALLYING IN RALEIGH: LCS SPRING FINALS HEAD TO NORTH CAROLINA
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Our LCS Finals Weekend roadshow will travel to two cities in 2023, so mark your calendars now!
**PNC Arena** in **Raleigh, North Carolina** will host the **LCS Spring Finals, Delivered by Grubhub**, the weekend of **April 8-9.** After the incredible atmosphere in Atlanta for Worlds Semifinals, we’re thrilled to bring League of Legends esports back down south to Raleigh, a city that’s established itself as an international hub for esports and gaming. We’ll be hosting unique activities around Raleigh to make sure the event will be one to remember for both our on-site and virtual viewers.
Tickets for Spring Finals will begin with a **24-hour Mastercard Presale Thursday, January 26 at 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET** for Mastercard holders. The general on-sale opens on Friday, January 27 at 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET.
In the summer, we’re traveling to the **Prudential Center** in **Newark, New Jersey** for the **LCS Championship, Delivered by Grubhub**, on **August 19-20.** Originally planned for Summer 2021, we’re honoring our promise to return and put on an amazing show for our East Coast fans. We heard you loud and clear in New York during the Worlds Group Stage — can you bring the same energy across the Hudson? Expect more ticketing details for the LCS Championship to be revealed in the coming months.
IT STARTS NOW: LCS HOSTS OPENING DAY PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD
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We’re starting the LCS Spring Split off right with Opening Day Presented By Mastercard! Fans in attendance at the Riot Games Arena on **Thursday, January 26** will get access to:
- An exclusive LCS-branded gift bag with all the fan essentials — thundersticks, lanyard, rally towel, key cap, and fanny pack!
- The after-hours tailgate party with music, LCS player meet-and-greets, a photo booth, and more!
- Special “Riot Meals” boxed lunches at concessions, which include delicious food items and some hidden surprises (the good kind, we promise).
- Limited Priceless experience packages for Mastercard holders, including a poster signed by LCS pros [AVAILABLE NOW][1]
[BUY TICKETS TO OPENING DAY PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD & SPRING SPLIT HERE][2]
This year, we’re offering more ticketing options for fans to choose from. Season Passes will allow fans to pick a seat in the house for the full calendar year at a discounted price. We’re also introducing a rewards program where fans can earn points toward discounted or completely free tickets. **All weekday matches will begin at 2pm PT / 5pm ET** after a 30 minute pre-show, so schedule your travel accordingly! As a reminder, all in-person guests will be subject to municipal COVID policy, which means we’ll enforce on-site masking when in Medium or High Risk tier (as determined by LA city guidance).
We hope to see you in-person at the Riot Games Arena — truly, the upgraded LCS stage is worth the price of admission alone — but if you can’t make it out, we’ll be posting pics of the week’s most FOMO-inducing scenes on the **reloaded** [LCS Flickr][3] **page**, home for all official LCS photography. Of course, fans can always watch all the action online through the main broadcast streams on [lolesports.com][4], [YouTube][5], [Twitch][6], or a [Watch Party][7] of your choice.
Speaking of the LCS broadcast…
[1]: http://www.priceless.com/2023LCSOpeningDay
[2]: https://www.tixr.com/groups/lcs
[3]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lcsofficial/
[4]: https://lolesports.com/
[5]: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSF_aFGIIIoWY30GVV19TKA
[6]: https://www.twitch.tv/lcs
[7]: https://lolesports.com/article/lcs-watch-parties-are-back!/blt1a56964097ca2b78
BREAKING THE FORMULA: A NEW APPROACH TO ESPORTS COVERAGE
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In order to properly set the tone for the next decade of LCS, we’re making bold, creative choices with our broadcast coverage. For years, we’ve clung tightly to a model aligned with traditional sports: a host and analysts behind the desk, filling minutes between games. That familiar, digestible style served us well, but esports coverage must be more than business as usual. In an increasingly crowded content marketplace, we need to give LCS fans a compelling reason to watch and engage with the league. Doing so means taking big bets, eschewing the status quo, and dreaming big.
Regular LCS viewers saw hints of this new direction last summer, when we began to experiment with new segments and presentation formats. We’re building on that foundation this year, reinforcing our commitment to highlighting player stories through direct broadcast integrations like gameplay breakdowns, original sketches, match commentary, a new Player Profiles series, and more. At the same time, we’re empowering a fantastic roster of casters and talent to guide the action, creating spaces that showcase their unique strengths and interests in full glory.
We’re also welcoming a new face to the crew – **Raafaa!** If you loved watching Raafaa shred during the Proving Grounds broadcast last year, well, imagine the guitar licks he’s prepping for LCS.
Beyond the broadcast, the LCS production team is hard at work creating the kind of high-quality content our fans expect. **Eyes On** is back for a deep dive into the LCS Preseason. **The Dive** will return, but with more guests regularly joining hosts Azael, Mark, and Kobe.
We’re unleashing **Dash** from the desk to lead his own excursion show with LCS players, coaxing unseen personality quirks from our pros as they travel outside the arena. And **This or That** isn’t going anywhere — we’ll do it live on matchday every week with Kobe and Jatt.
As we start this new broadcast journey, our **LCS Partners** will be there every step of the way.
- In addition to being the presenting partner for the LCS Spring Finals and the LCS Championship, **Grubhub** will be delivering drops throughout the split for [LoLEsports.com][1] viewers, with a physical Hextech Chest giveaway and their Delivering the Win promo codes to come.
- Whether it features spicy takes or saccharine feels, the **Verizon** Post Game Interview is always a standout matchday moment.
- Thanks to **Sleeper** and **Samsung Fast Five**, Fantasy LCS is live for another year of fierce roster-building competition. As part of their renewed and expanded relationship with LCS, Samsung SSD will help produce a series of broadcast segments powered by Samsung Memory technology.
- Our players can count on **Secretlab** to have their backs (literally) at the Riot Games Arena, ensuring they’re comfortable and ready to compete.
- Fans can expect the **Red Bull** Baron Power Play to make a return. Our official energy drink partner has renewed its collaboration with LCS, so expect to see plenty of Red Bull off the Rift as well!
- Hungry yet? **Buffalo Wild Wings** has a tasty combo for you: 10 Boneless Wings and a side of Potato Wedges, plus a Hextech Chest and Key, all for just $9.99.
Exciting partnerships, broadcast innovations, thrilling roadshow locales — we hope you’re as hyped for Spring Split as we are.
For all the latest LCS news, follow us on [Twitter][2], [Instagram][3], and [TikTok][4]. See you on Opening Day!
*[1/18/23 at 12:45pm PT edit -- changed 'in-client' viewers to 'LoLEsports.com' viewers for Grubhub giveaways.]*
[1]: https://lolesports.com
[2]: https://twitter.com/LCSOfficial
[3]: https://www.instagram.com/lcsofficial
[4]: https://www.tiktok.com/@lcsofficial
