The thrilling 3-2 victory over HLE has secured T1 as the third seed from the LCK at the 2021 Worlds. This result marks the return of the “Unkillable Demon King” Faker and his teammates to the biggest League of Legends stage after a year of absence. This is a jubilant moment not only for T1 fans but also a joy that feels like an “explosion” for… Riot Games.
So what joy does T1 bring to Riot Games in this year’s Worlds? While there are still formidable teams that secured their spots early and have a strong chance of winning, such as DWG KIA, FunPlus Phoenix, or the local team like MAD Lions and Fnatic. But no name among them can compare to T1 – SKT, in terms of the tremendous appeal this team brings.
As the greatest team of all time, with a rich history, and the only team to have won three World Cups in 2013, 2015, and 2016. Not only that, T1 also boasts a name that has become an icon of the League of Legends scene, the “Unkillable Demon King” Faker. Regardless of who you are or your age, if you’ve ever heard of League of Legends, you’ve certainly heard this name. This shows just how influential and widespread T1’s captain is.
T1’s return this time is a forecast for a hugely successful Worlds for Riot. One could say that the value T1 brings in general and Faker specifically to this year’s World Championship is something no other team can currently achieve. Not only does it help attract more investment to the tournament, but it also significantly increases viewership as this team has one of the largest fanbases in the world.
For example, in the LCK Spring Finals 2021 between DWG KIA and Gen.G, based on statistics from the reputable news site ESPORTS CHARTS, the highest viewership for this match reached 616,911. In contrast, the recently held Summer Finals between DWG KIA and T1 reached 1,315,849, nearly double the previous figure. This match set the record for the highest viewership ever in the Korean professional League of Legends tournament, breaking all previous records.
Just domestically, T1’s return in a finals match has already driven fans wild; just imagine how much this effect will multiply on the international stage.
Not to exaggerate, even in matches that aren’t as critical as the finals against DWG KIA, just having Faker and the team present seems to exponentially increase the view count. Statistics show that the five matches with the highest viewership in LCK Summer 2021 all featured Faker and his teammates.
Not only does T1 have an influence in domestic tournaments, but it’s also about to spread worldwide. One of the most notable examples of T1’s appeal on the international stage is the “match of the century”. The Semifinal at the 2019 Worlds between T1 and G2 Esports is now historic as the match with the highest viewership ever at Worlds, reaching 3,985,787. This number even exceeds the 2020 Finals between SNG and DWG KIA by 100,000 views. Therefore, it’s not hard to understand Riot’s “joy” in seeing the “gift” that T1 brings to this year’s Worlds.
With Faker’s charisma and T1’s presence, participating in this year’s Worlds is seen as an opportunity for Riot Games to promote its image and expand its market to a larger audience. Moreover, as the pandemic situation continues to evolve complexly worldwide, the number of viewers watching Worlds from home is expected to surge dramatically. Hopefully, after a year of absence from the biggest League of Legends tournament, T1 will truly return not only to break all viewership records but also to win this prestigious trophy after so many years of waiting for the Demon King.