Any old heads like me will remember the TSM vs CLG rivalry. All the constant events in NA where TSM, CLG, Dignitas, Curse etc would duke it out.

Sometimes up and coming teams with lesser known players would do upsets. This is how WildTurtle first gained prominence in the scene.

TSM was the dude-bro fan favorite team. CLG was the arrogant pseudo-intellectual squad that had a strong fanbase. Dignitas were the memelords and so on.

Obviously it will never be 2012 again and it shouldn't be. Esports has changed and times have changed in general.

But I do think we can learn something from how things grew to be popular back then. It all felt very integrated within the community, whereas now it feels super insular. LCS feels totally removed from the general NA community in many ways.

The second all the famous players and icons were no longer playing in the LCS, it felt like the newer generation couldn't get the same community fan status.

So here is what I propose in quick bullet points:

• Be willing to totally re-think what LCS and NA LoL esports is. The current way isn't working.

• Change the format completely. Move away from the NFL-copy system.

• Shorten the seasons and open the possibility for domestic tournaments.

• Integrate tier 2 teams from NACL into these domestic tournaments. This supports the pipeline to LCS and creates a stronger connection between NA community and LCS.

• You have franchise obligations so ensure that all franchised orgs have a ticket to these domestic events. You can still keep the shorter splits as franchise only - and by extension also have MSI/Worlds qualification be franchise orgs only.

All this would strengthen the community connection.

It would make LCS feel more 'NA'.

It would create a better pathway for NA talent into LCS as they would be able to prove themselves against LCS players.

It would make tier 2 scene relevant in NA for the first time.

Best of all: It would feel more genuine and real. Less corporate. It would sort of integrate what made early LoL so popular in the first place into the new world of esports.

Obviously these are all very broad ideas from someone not working in the planning of the scene, so if any of this would be implemented, someone in the know would need to reshape everything so it makes sense.