The streamed scrims between Los Ratones and GiantX did not take place
Los Ratones and GIANTX had announced plans to stream their scrims on March 9. However, this did not happen due to an LEC rule that prohibited GX from doing so. As a result, both fans and players were left disappointed, raising concerns about the strictness of Riot's regulations in Europe.
Since the start of the season, streaming scrims has become increasingly common—first with Marc Robert "Caedrel" Lamont's team in the NLC, then at the major league level with FlyQuest and Cloud9 following suit. This would have been a first for an LEC team to stream their scrims, but it won’t be happening just yet, as Riot Games does not allow LEC teams to stream their scrims or participate in showmatches with their full roster. Players and organizations reacted on social media, expressing their disappointment and hoping to offer this kind of content to fans in the future.
For reference, opinions within the scene have been highly divided on this topic. Many believe that streaming scrims can only be beneficial—for teams, as they practice in front of an audience, replicating official match conditions; for fans, who get a behind-the-scenes look at their favorite players; and for organizations, which gain increased visibility and notoriety.
On the other hand, critics argue that drafts and strategies should remain secret, as revealing them could be detrimental to teams and the level of play displayed on stage. However, the reality might be more nuanced, with teams potentially streaming their scrims from time to time—balancing content creation for fans while preserving their strategic surprises when needed.
We will only see GX back on our screens during the Spring Split with their new jungler, Ismaïl "ISMA" Boualem, who will make his debut with the club after Can "Closer" Çelik decided to put his playing career on hold.
Header photo Credit: Los Ratones/LEC/Riot Games