Since the beginning of the 2024 season, the LPL tournament has faced numerous challenges. Among them is the fact that this tournament lacks appeal for local audiences due to the absence of major stars. In fact, when compared to the exhibition tournament “Legends Cup”, the viewership for LPL has been significantly lower.
However, amid these difficulties, LPL fans have received some very positive news. Specifically, within just a few days, two former World Champions, TheShy and Doinb, have confirmed their return for the 2025 season. Notably, both TheShy and Doinb are well-known players with a large fanbase, and they are expected to “rescue” the LPL from its current struggles, at least in terms of viewership numbers.
In an interview at the “Legends Cup”, TheShy reaffirmed that he would return for the 2025 season. He also stated that the upcoming season would be “much more intense”, but he still decided to come back. Previously, TheShy joked about switching to “gopro” VALORANT, but after some time trying it out, he abandoned that idea.
As for Doinb, the 2019 World Champion has also confirmed his return to the LPL. “I’ve thought carefully, next year will be my last year competing professionally. I will do my best to play well and see if I can make a comeback. To be honest, right now I play like Ming. I need a bit more time to readjust because I’ve been away for quite a while,” Doinb shared on air.
In terms of reputation, both TheShy and Doinb are noteworthy names in the LPL. They both have a massive fan following and possess significant brand value. Therefore, LPL teams can leverage the fame of these two former World Champions to create content, build images, and generate considerable revenue. This is certainly a lucrative opportunity that many teams will find hard to pass up.
From a professional standpoint, both TheShy and Doinb leave many questions as they have been away from professional play for quite some time. Moreover, issues related to salary and benefits are also significant barriers in recruiting TheShy or Doinb. Recall that TheShy was unable to find a new team this season due to his high advertising contract. The same could very well happen with Doinb.
In conclusion, the announcements of TheShy and Doinb’s respective returns have brought positive signals that could help improve LPL’s viewership. However, the performance of these two former champions will still take time to evaluate as they will need to make considerable efforts to readjust to the professional environment.