The LCS Team Owners have voted to remove the requirements around needing to field an Academy team: additional details and a statement from the Players Association

There's a huge wealth gap in the LCS. Its easier for big orgs like C9, TL,TSM, or 100T to maintain and benefit from an academy team. But GGS can barely afford to maintain their LCS team, they just had to sell a good roster wholesale and split up the coaching staff because they couldn't afford it. They aren't getting any benefit from their academy team because what resources do they have to spare for them beyond the bare minimum required? According to Insanity (or V1per, i forget) last split FLYA is in a similar state. Meanwhile C9 reaps the benefits: they're a big org so they can sign a strong academy team and invest in improving the players, which gives them roster flexibility and a strong practice partner which helps the LCS team stay strong. its a feedback loop exclusive to the wealthiest teams.

It takes resources to develop rookies, resources the poorer teams don't have. This at least allows them to throw all their resources into the main priority: LCS.

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