For those who regularly follow League of Legends (LoL), the Power Rankings created by Western media is likely no stranger. This ranking is updated weekly, monthly, or by season (for events like MSI or the World Championship). In fact, these rankings are determined based on the performance of teams at certain points in time. They are usually quite accurate but are generally subjective opinions and can sometimes lead to controversy.
Recently, the Power Rankings for Summer 2023 have been released. Of course, this is just a ranking based on the group stage and focuses on the four major tournaments in the world of LoL. As of now, all tournaments have completed their group stages, making this ranking quite comprehensive. Even the LPL has almost finished its Summer 2023 season in preparation for the ASIAD as well as the World Championship.
Notably, after a series of losses, T1 has for the first time nearly hit rock bottom since this ranking’s inception. Specifically, the Spring 2023 LCK runner-up is ranked… 16th, even behind teams like Oh My God (LPL) or Excel Esports (LEC) – teams that have never been considered on par with mid-tier teams in the LCK.
Everyone understands why T1 is in such a low position, but clearly, it’s hard to accept that T1 ranks below many teams that are considered average in other leagues. While it is known that this ranking carries many subjective factors and only evaluates based on recent performances, the media’s low evaluation of T1 is still somewhat unreasonable.
According to many opinions, rankings like this should only be taken for fun. Teams’ performances will ultimately be based on final results, and not every team that is rated low ends up losing. Speaking of this, perhaps T1 fans understand better than anyone, and the players certainly will not let external information affect their preparations for the challenges that lie ahead.