Riot Games and Head of League of Legends Esports for the EMEA region Maximilian Peter Schmidt have announced upcoming changes to the European Regional Leagues in terms of future league processes, partnerships and co-streams. The goals of the changes, according to the announcement, are to “further solidify” the ERL structure as well as to “further strengthen player pathways” to professional play.
Starting next year, there will be significant changes made to the ERLs as we look to level up the League of Legends ecosystem in Europe: https://t.co/xpkHH7oUVw pic.twitter.com/WxImoAvDLV
— EMEA Masters (@EMEAmasters) July 29, 2021
Accreditation and the Global Contract Database
ERL’s will be put into two categories in 2022: accredited leagues and non-accredited leagues. Accredited leagues will host one LAN event per year and signed players in the league will join the GDC with the rest of Riot’s sanctioned leagues. Non-accredited leagues can apply for accreditation and must meet “relevant criteria,” according to the announcement.
The accreditation process will also see some current leagues combine. The announcement revealed that the Ultraliga, along with the Dutch and Belgium leagues, are merging to form a new Benelux league. This new process and standardization across leagues will also bring standard prize pools for both accredited and non-accredited ERLs.
ERL co-streaming and changes to come
All ERL leagues will allow co-streaming rights to its partners. This is provided that they stay within the rules and regulations Riot has outlined for its co-streams. These rules also apply to both categories of leagues across Europe. Riot and all ERLs, in both categories, will also hold an ERL summit every year starting in 2022. This is in order to converse and “help them continue to further develop their own businesses and structures,” the announcement stated.
The statement didn’t reveal any other details, specific dates, rules or its relevant criteria for becoming an accredited league. Riot will give out more information on the changes, and the new Benelux league, after the summer European Masters tournament at the end of Sept.
The 2021 summer EU Masters event begins on Aug. 17 and ends on Sept. 20.
