TL;DR
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- North America’s current Academy and Proving Grounds tournament structure will be replaced by the new North American Challengers League (NACL).
- The NACL will consist of ten Fixed Teams (the ten former “Academy” teams) and six Provisional Teams (formerly “Amateur” teams). These 16 teams will compete in two seasonal splits (Spring and Summer) that culminate in double-elimination playoffs.
- Provisional Teams will qualify for the NACL through a promotion and relegation system. After each split, the bottom four Provisional Teams and the top four teams from the open NACL Qualifiers will compete in the NACL Promotion Tournament to fill the final four NACL spots. Fixed Teams won’t be eligible for relegation.
- To promote upward mobility for new talent, all NACL player contracts listed on the GCD will be subject to a Notification of Interest System, allowing LCS organizations to officially state their interest in a player under contract with another organization.
2022 has been a fantastic year of growth for the North American Tier 2 League of Legends esports scene. We’ve received positive responses from players, teams, and fans regarding the reformatted Proving Grounds structure, which created exciting cross-ecosystem matches between aspirational players and semi-pro standouts. Now, as we look to create more effective opportunities to level up regional talent, it’s time to reveal the next iteration of North America’s developmental ecosystem.
Beginning in 2023, the **North American Challengers League** (NACL) will replace the Academy and Proving Grounds competitions. This new league will be organized into Spring and Summer Splits (each with their own playoffs) that run parallel to the LCS Spring and Summer splits. Each split, all NACL teams will battle through a single Round Robin of best-of-two matches, the results of which will establish seeding for the playoffs. All NACL teams automatically qualify for the **NACL Playoffs**, a double elimination bracket with a mix of best-of-three and best-of-five matches.
The NACL will feature 16 teams — **ten Fixed Teams** (the ten former “Academy” teams attached to each LCS organization) and six **Provisional Teams** (formerly known as “Amateur” teams). For the inaugural NACL split in Spring 2023, all LCS organizations are guaranteed a spot for their Provisional Teams. If there are not enough LCS Provisional Teams to fill the six slot allotment, the NACL will consider applications from other teams — [INTERESTED ORGANIZATIONS CAN APPLY HERE][1] (**Deadline to submit is Nov. 15, 2022 at 8pm PST**). We intend to lock all Provisional Teams for the first NACL prior to the 2022 Global Free Agency period.
[1]: https://forms.gle/EVzMctaPdHTLSUCm9
To maximize our opportunities to develop NA talent, and to ensure high competitive stakes by increasing the number of matches that matter, we are adding a Promotion and Relegation system to the NACL. During each NACL split, we will be hosting two **NACL Qualifiers** — these consist of a 32-team Open Qualifier that filters the Top 16 teams into GSL groups, followed by a single elimination bracket for the Top 8. The NACL Qualifiers will award points based on placement, resetting after each split.
After the NACL Playoffs for Spring and Summer, the **NACL Promotion Tournament** will pit the bottom four Provisional Teams against the Top 4 NACL Qualifier teams (on points) to fill the four vacant slots in the NACL. The NACL Promotion Tournament format is a Double Elimination Bracket — best-of-threes in the Upper Bracket Round 1 and Lower Bracket Round 1, best-of-fives in the Upper Bracket Round 2 and Lower Bracket Round 2. Note: Fixed Teams won’t be eligible for relegation.
Expect the full NACL ruleset to be released in the weeks to come, but for now, we wanted to highlight a few key stipulations for the new league:
- All players on Provisional Teams must be at least **15 years old** and **NA residents**
- Provisional Team players are eligible to be on the Global Contract Database if they meet the same salary requirements as NACL Fixed Team contracts
- Contracts for Provisional Team players are limited to **two years maximum**
- Provisional Teams are required to field a seven player roster, a head coach, and a manager
Additionally, to promote the upward mobility of developing talent, all NACL player contracts listed on the GCD will be subject to a new **Notification of Interest** (NoI) System. LCS organizations may submit an NoI to the league, stating their interest in a player under contract with another organization. The player must be informed by their contracted organization upon receipt of the NoI.
We strongly believe these rules, coupled with the new NACL, will provide a solid foundation for North America to improve its regional talent infrastructure over the long term. See you in 2023!
