Riot presents changes to the LEC 2021 season awards

The League of Legends European Championship (LEC) is implementing substantial modifications to its player and team recognition framework starting with the 2021 Spring Split. These adjustments represent the most significant overhaul to the award distribution methodology in recent seasons.

Each competitive split traditionally features multiple honors celebrating exceptional individual performances and team achievements throughout the tournament. Riot Games plans to maintain this established tradition while introducing innovative categorization that fundamentally alters how recipients are selected.

Upcoming Changes to the #LEC 2021 Season Awards:https://t.co/6YoQg7X3Al pic.twitter.com/pJRFaQTq6m

— LEC (@LEC) February 24, 2021

The primary objective behind these revisions is to more effectively spotlight elite competitive excellence while granting LEC enthusiasts increased authority over the most prestigious honor—the All-Pro Team selection.

In their recent competitive update, Riot detailed a strategic approach where the community will possess complete decision-making power regarding the All-Pro Team composition. This prestigious lineup identifies the most outstanding LEC competitor for each gameplay position through a structured voting mechanism that Riot will elaborate on in upcoming communications.

“Our fundamental reasoning centers on bringing supporters more directly into the historical narrative creation process,” Riot explained. “We additionally emphasize that this represents an experimental procedure, and we welcome constructive criticism from all stakeholders.”

For the remaining honors, Riot will delegate selection authority to their assembled panel of industry specialists who will determine recipients for the Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Season, and Coaching Team of the Season awards. Historically, the final mentioned recognition focused exclusively on coaching staff, but for 2021 Riot aims to recognize the entire organizational infrastructure supporting competitive teams.

The expert category maintains professional credibility for awards requiring deep analytical insight, while community involvement ensures fan engagement for selections where popular opinion holds value. This balanced approach attempts to satisfy both competitive integrity and community participation objectives simultaneously.

The League of Legends competitive community rapidly delivered initial critical feedback regarding the revised award framework. Almost immediately, numerous supporters and professional competitors concurred that exclusive fan determination of the All-Pro Team represents a problematic direction. The predominant concern suggests this will degenerate into purely popularity-based selections, an issue that has already compromised the award’s credibility during recent competitive years.

Given Riot’s active solicitation of stakeholder input, the vocal opposition from the community has presumably reached decision-makers. The forthcoming weeks will reveal whether Riot can implement format adjustments before the Spring Split conclusion. Otherwise, the split outcomes will likely demonstrate whether the selection process truly constitutes a popularity competition or whether fans exercise objective judgment in their voting patterns.

Anticipate the voting process commencing within the coming weeks, as the 2021 LEC Spring Split currently progresses through the sixth week of regular season matches.

Popularity contest ????

Don’t really like the All Pro vote being community only https://t.co/9eOm1lpBBh

— Erik Wessén (@Treatz) February 24, 2021

Professional players emphasize that fan-exclusive voting often overlooks subtle strategic contributions that only experienced competitors and analysts properly appreciate. Many suggest hybrid models incorporating both community and expert input would produce more balanced and credible results.

The ten franchise slots comprising the LEC remain unchanged for the 2021 competitive season, with the singular exception of Origen now competing under the Astralis organizational banner following strategic rebranding decisions.

The complete 2021 LEC competitive roster includes:

• G2 Esports
• Fnatic
• MAD Lions
• Rogue
• Misfits Gaming
• SK Gaming
• Vitality
• Schalke 04
• Excel Esports
• Astralis

This franchise stability provides competitive consistency while allowing organizations to develop long-term strategic visions. For comprehensive team analysis, consult our Class Guide for detailed strategic breakdowns.

Both competitive splits comprising the 2020 LEC season were decisively captured by G2 Esports. The reigning European champions demonstrated occasional vulnerabilities during the regular season but consistently delivered peak performance during critical playoff moments. Specifically, G2 secured both championship finals through commanding 3-0 victories against longstanding rivals Fnatic.

G2’s continued dominance establishes them as the benchmark organization that all European teams must overcome. Their consistent performance across multiple splits suggests deeply ingrained organizational excellence rather than temporary competitive form. For those interested in broader competitive frameworks, our Complete Guide provides extensive strategic context.

The championship landscape reveals interesting competitive dynamics, with traditional powerhouses maintaining positions while emerging organizations challenge established hierarchies. Understanding these patterns requires examining both individual split outcomes and longer-term organizational development trajectories.

No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » Riot presents changes to the LEC 2021 season awards Understanding the controversial LEC 2021 award system changes and community backlash against fan-only voting