2018 NA LCS season

Last updated
2018 NA LCS season
League NA LCS
Sport League of Legends
DurationJanuary 20 – April 8 (Spring)
June 16 – September 9 (Summer)
September 8–10 (Regional finals)
Number of teams10
TV partner(s) Twitch, YouTube
Spring
Champions Team Liquid
  Runners-up 100 Thieves
Top seed100 Thieves
Season MVP Zaqueri "Aphromoo" Black [1]
(100 Thieves)
Summer
ChampionsTeam Liquid
  Runners-up Cloud9
Top seedTeam Liquid
Season MVP Yiliang "Doublelift" Peng [2]
(Team Liquid)
Regional finals
WinnerCloud9
NA LCS seasons

The 2018 NA LCS season was the first year under partnership and sixth overall of the North American League of Legends Championship Series (NA LCS), a professional esports league for the MOBA PC game League of Legends . It was divided into spring and summer splits, each consisting of a regular season and playoff stage. The top six teams from the regular season advanced to the playoff stage, with the top two teams receiving a bye to the semifinals.

Contents

The three teams that qualified for the World Championship in 2018 were Team Liquid, 100 Thieves, and Cloud9. [3]

Format

Starting in 2018, the North American LCS announced that it would continue under partnership using a franchised model, rather than promotion and regulation. This changed the overall structure of the league, and encouraged long-term investments from owners, which allowed the league to implement revenue sharing, leading to a better foundation for both the teams and professional players. Professional players were also given a larger voice and more protection within the league.

The buy-in price for the league was $10 million for existing League of Legends teams, who had previously participated in the League Championship Series or Challenger Series. New teams would be subject to an additional $3 million ($13 million total), which was to be distributed to the teams that were replaced in the league as compensation. Interested parties were given applications in June, due on July 28, 2017. Over 100 existing esports organizations, traditional sports teams, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs reportedly applied. [4] Those applications were then narrowed down to a shortlist, nicknamed "phase two", which saw participants travel to Riot Games' Los Angeles office to interview and review their applications. [5] Riot Games and the North American League Championship Series players' association also decided that league would not expand and instead remain at 10 teams.

Buyers for the league were decided in mid-October. Six existing teams from the league, Cloud9, Counter Logic Gaming, Echo Fox, FlyQuest, Team Liquid and Team SoloMid, were accepted back into the league. [6] [7] [8] The other four existing teams, Immortals, Phoenix1, Team Dignitas and Team EnvyUs, were declined entry into the restructured league. [9] [10] Due to their departure, four new organizations were added to the NA LCS, one endemic esports team, and three NBA affiliates. Longtime esports organization OpTic Gaming was reportedly awarded a spot in the league after receiving investment from Texas Rangers co-owner Neil Leibman. [11] The other three new spots went to the Golden Guardians, supported by the Golden State Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob and his son Kirk, 100 Thieves backed by the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Clutch Gaming with support from the Houston Rockets. [12] [13] [14] [15]

Teams and rosters

TeamsRosterCoach
TopJungleMidBotSupport
Counter Logic Gaming Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Darshan Flag of South Korea.svg Reignover Flag of South Korea.svg Huhi Flag of the United States.svg Stixxay Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Biofrost Flag of the United States.svg Ziks
Team SoloMid Flag of the United States.svg Hauntzer Flag of the United States.svg MikeYeung Flag of Denmark.svg Bjergsen Flag of Denmark.svg Zven Flag of Spain.svg Mithy Flag of South Korea.svg SSONG
Cloud9 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Licorice Flag of Denmark.svg Svenskeren
Flag of the United States.svg Blaber 		Flag of Denmark.svg Jensen
Flag of the United States.svg Goldenglue		 Flag of the United States.svg Sneaky
Flag of the United States.svg Keith		 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Smoothie
Flag of the United States.svg Zeyzal		 Flag of South Korea.svg Reapered
Team Liquid Flag of South Korea.svg Impact Flag of the United States.svg Xmithie Flag of the United States.svg Pobelter Flag of the United States.svg Doublelift Flag of South Korea.svg Olleh Flag of South Korea.svg Cain
FlyQuest Flag of South Korea.svg Flame Flag of the United States.svg AnDa Flag of South Korea.svg Fly Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg WildTurtle Flag of the United States.svg Stunt Flag of Ireland.svg RobertYip
100 Thieves Flag of South Korea.svg Ssumday Flag of the United States.svg Meteos Flag of South Korea.svg Ryu Flag of the United States.svg Cody Sun Flag of the United States.svg Aphromoo Flag of the United States.svg pr0lly
Clutch Gaming Flag of the United States.svg Solo Flag of South Korea.svg LirA Flag of the Netherlands.svg Febiven Flag of the United States.svg Apollo Flag of the United States.svg Hakuho Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Dlim
Echo Fox Flag of South Korea.svg Huni Flag of the United States.svg Dardoch Flag of South Korea.svg Fenix Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Altec Flag of the United States.svg Adrian Flag of the United States.svg Inero
Golden Guardians Flag of the United States.svg Lourlo Flag of the United States.svg Contractz Flag of the United States.svg Hai Flag of the United States.svg Deftly Flag of the United States.svg Matt Flag of the United States.svg Akiri
OpTic Gaming Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Zig Flag of the United States.svg Akaadian Flag of Germany.svg PowerOfEvil Flag of South Korea.svg Arrow Flag of the United States.svg LemonNation Flag of France.svg Zabountine

Spring

Results

Regular season standings

PosTeamW–LPointsQualification
1. 100 Thieves 12–6+6Advance to semifinals
2. Echo Fox 12–6+6
3. Team SoloMid 11–7+4Advance to quarterfinals
4. Team Liquid 11–7+4
5. Cloud9 11–7+4
6. Clutch Gaming 11–7+4
7. Counter Logic Gaming 7–11-4No qualification for Playoffs
8. FlyQuest 6–12-6
9. OpTic Gaming 5–13-7
10. Golden Guardians 4–14-10

Prize pool and championship points

PosPrize PoolQualification PointsTeam
Gold medal icon.svg$100,00090 Team Liquid
Silver medal icon.svg$50,00070 100 Thieves
Bronze medal icon.svg$30,00050 Echo Fox
4th$20,00030 Clutch Gaming
5th/6th-10 Cloud9
Team SoloMid
7th-- Counter Logic Gaming
8th-- FlyQuest
9th-- OpTic Gaming
10th-- Golden Guardians

Awards

AwardPlayerTeam
MVP Flag of the United States.svg Zaqueri "Aphromoo" Black 100 Thieves
Rookie of the Split Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Eric "Licorice" Ritchie Cloud9
Coach of the Split Flag of the United States.svg Neil "pr0lly" Hammad 100 Thieves
1st Team All-Pro Flag of South Korea.svg Heo "Huni" Seung-hoon Echo Fox
Flag of the United States.svg Joshua "Dardoch" Hartnett Echo Fox
Flag of Denmark.svg Sǿren "Bjergsen" Bjerg Team SoloMid
Flag of the United States.svg Cody "Cody Sun" Sun 100 Thieves
Flag of the United States.svg Zaqueri "Aphromoo" Black 100 Thieves

Playoffs

Tiebreakers

First place
1st Place Tiebreaker
  
100 Thieves 1
Echo Fox 0
Third through sixth place
First Round Third Place Tiebreaker
    
Team Liquid1
Cloud9 0
Team Liquid 0
Team SoloMid1
Team SoloMid1
Clutch Gaming 0 Fifth Place Tiebreaker
Cloud91
Clutch Gaming 0

Playoff bracket

QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
1100 Thieves3
3Team SoloMid16Clutch Gaming2
6Clutch Gaming31100 Thieves0
4Team Liquid3
2Echo Fox1
4Team Liquid34Team Liquid3Third place
5Cloud90
2Echo Fox3
6Clutch Gaming0

Summer

Regular season standings

PosTeamW–LPointsQualification
1. Team Liquid 12–6+6Advance to semifinals
2. Cloud9 11–7+4
3. 100 Thieves 10–8+2Advance to quarterfinals
4. Echo Fox 10–8+2
5. Team SoloMid 10–8+2
6. FlyQuest 10–8+2
7. OpTic Gaming 9–9+0No qualification for Playoffs
8. Counter Logic Gaming 7–11-4
9. Clutch Gaming 6–12-6
10. Golden Guardians 5–13-8

Prize pool and championship points

PosPrize PoolQualification PointsTeam
Gold medal icon.svg$100,000Automatically Qualified Team Liquid
Silver medal icon.svg$50,00080 Cloud9
Bronze medal icon.svg$30,00060 Team SoloMid
4th$20,000100 100 Thieves
5th-60 Echo Fox
6th-30 Clutch Gaming
7th-10 FlyQuest
8th-- Counter Logic Gaming
9th-- OpTic Gaming
10th-- Golden Guardians

Awards

AwardPlayerTeam
MVP Flag of the United States.svg Yiliang "Doublelift" Peng Team Liquid
Rookie of the Split Flag of the United States.svg Robert "Blaber" Huang Cloud9
Coach of the Split Flag of South Korea.svg Bok "Reapered" Han-gyu Cloud9
1st Team All-Pro Flag of South Korea.svg Kim "Ssumday" Chan-ho 100 Thieves
Flag of the United States.svg Jake "Xmithie" Puchero Team Liquid
Flag of Denmark.svg Nicolaj "Jensen" Jensen Cloud9
Flag of the United States.svg Yiliang "Doublelift" Peng Team Liquid
Flag of the United States.svg Zaqueri "Aphromoo" Black 100 Thieves

Playoffs

Tiebreakers

First Round Third Place Tiebreaker
    
Echo Fox1
Team SoloMid 0
Echo Fox 0
100 Thieves1
100 Thieves1
FlyQuest 0 Fifth Place Tiebreaker
Team SoloMid1
FlyQuest 0

Playoff bracket

QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
1Team Liquid3
3100 Thieves33100 Thieves1
6FlyQuest01Team Liquid3
2Cloud90
2Cloud93
4Echo Fox25Team SoloMid2Third place
5Team SoloMid3
3100 Thieves2
5Team SoloMid3

Regional finals

Round 1Round 2Finals
CP3Cloud93
CP4Team SoloMid3R2Team SoloMid0
CP5Echo Fox3R1Echo Fox0
CP6Clutch Gaming0

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References

  1. ↑ Goslin, Austen (7 April 2018). "Aphromoo named NA LCS 2018 Spring Split MVP". The Rift Herald. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  2. ↑ Chang, Brian (8 September 2018). "Doublelift takes home the 2018 NA LCS Summer Split MVP". Dot Esports. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  3. ↑ "All the Teams Qualified for 2018 Worlds: League of Legends". 22 September 2018.
  4. ↑ "Overwatch League, North American LCS head in different directions". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
  5. ↑ Greeley, Chris (2017-09-22). "Mid-Flight Update on Our Selection Process for NA LCS 2018". LoL Esports.
  6. ↑ "Sources: Team SoloMid, Cloud9, Team Liquid and Counter Logic Gaming to rejoin NA LCS". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
  7. ↑ "Immortals out, Echo Fox in for the NA LCS, sources say". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
  8. ↑ "FlyQuest accepted as NA LCS franchise". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
  9. ↑ "Sources: Dignitas' League of Legends Championship Series franchising application declined". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
  10. ↑ "Sources: Phoenix1 and Team Envy declined entry into newly-franchised LCS". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
  11. ↑ "Sources: OpTic Gaming to join North American League Championship Series". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
  12. ↑ "Sources: Warriors co-owner lands League of Legends franchise spot". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
  13. ↑ "Sources: NA LCS team roster finalized with Rockets". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
  14. ↑ "Cavs added as League of Legends franchise". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
  15. ↑ "NA LCS Team Announcement". Riot Games . Retrieved November 21, 2017.
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