The
LCS Lock-In will begin on January 24, a highly anticipated return for North American fans after the league was rebranded as LTA North last year. To mark this comeback, the region’s Commissioner, Mark Zimmerman, announced several new additions, including the Americas Cup, bootcamps in South Korea, and roadshows throughout the year.
The Americas Cup will be held in São Paulo, Brazil, just before the start of
First Stand, and will feature the LCS and CBLOL second and third seeds (with the first seeds competing at First Stand) in a five-day tournament. It adds a semi-international flavor, preserving some of the spirit of the LTA, which offered cross-conference matchups.
The winner of the Americas Cup, the third seed from the LCS, and the second and third seeds from the CBLOL in the Spring Splits will be offered bootcamps in South Korea during the Mid-Season Invitational period. If the team winning the Americas Cup qualifies for MSI through its league, the prize will be awarded to another team from its region.
In total, this means four LCS teams could be in South Korea during the MSI period, allowing them to gain considerable experience given the high level of solo queue at that time, which brings together the best players in the world. The commissioner also announced that several roadshows will take place this year to “meet fans where they are more often.” Dates and locations have not yet been announced.
