LCS Allows Live Audience For 2022 Spring Split Playoffs

The last two years have been extremely difficult for people from all walks of life because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The outbreak led to the cancellation of an array of in-person events and celebrations and of course, the esports scene was not spared, either. All the major leagues in League of Legends Esports had to go behind closed doors and teams had to play matches online from their respective gaming houses. Once the situation eased a bit, the teams were called to play at the studios in a hybrid model. Amidst all these changes, fans have been wanting and waiting for the studios to open up their gates for some live League of Legends action.

After a long hiatus of two years, the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) fans have received some good news coming their way late into the Spring Season. For the first time since March 2020, the LCS will have a live audience at its events. Riot Games announced that tickets to all the Spring Playoff matches at the LCS Studio in Santa Monica shall be made available on 17th March, followed by the tickets to the LCS Finals at the NRG Stadium, later this month .

Starting with the games in April, fans will have the opportunity to watch their favorite teams and players compete for a spot in the finals which shall be hosted in Houston, Texas.

Information on the sale of tickets and COVID-19 protocols

Riot Games wrote in a blogpost, “Tickets to attend all Spring Playoff matches at the LCS Studio in Santa Monica will go on sale March 17, with tickets to the LCS Finals at NRG Stadium following later this month.”

According to Riot’s announcement, the tickets for the matches being held in the LCS Studio will start at $20 per person for general admission or $35 per person for front row seats.

It added, “Next week, we’ll provide more information on the LCS Spring Finals, including what attendees can expect at NRG Stadium. Until then, welcome back to the LCS. We’ve missed you!”

Riot made it loud and clear that the safety of the players and the fans shall be its top priority and it shall not compromise on these grounds. To ensure safety, it announced some ground rules for the attendees, and those with tickers are required to show proof of vaccination status, or provide a negative COVID test within 48 hours of the event. Fans are required to wear masks while being indoors. Those who forget to carry masks shall be handed one by the tournament organizers at the venue.

Earlier this week on a Reddit thread, LCS Commissioner Jackie Felling had confirmed that the league was still hosting the upcoming 2022 Mid-Season Showdown at the NRG Stadium with a live audience. She had commented, “This event is happening and we're excited to announce tickets and other details in the coming weeks. As you can imagine COVID/pandemic makes event planning much more complicated and we are pushing to get out details ASAP. We're pumped to finally be in Texas and appreciate everyone understanding as we work through these last little details to get tickets soon.”

So many things have changed over the course of two years in the LCS. Cloud9 ended its six-year championship drought, TSM had a miracle run from the bottom all the way to claiming the LCS trophy, 100 Thieves emerging victorious over the heavyweights of the league, so many new tales were written, while some had their swansong moments. Now, the league is opening its door for the fans to live and be a part of many more memorable moments starting with the 2022 Spring Playoffs.