FOR PLAYERS. BY PLAYERS.
FOR PLAYERS. BY PLAYERS.
The LCSPA represents the interests and wellbeing of all North American pro and aspiring pro players across the LCS, Academy, and Proving Grounds leagues by providing access to information, resources, counsel, and advocacy to improve the lives of all players.
Our Mission
History
Formative Years (2017-2020):
The LCSPA was founded in 2017 by Riot Games as an effort to balance the scales for North American Players as the LCS entered its closed franchising era. While initially funded by Riot, the inaugural Executive Director, Hal Biagas, was able to create the first ever central contract database for active players to share salary and other contract information with each other to strengthen all player bargaining power. In those first years, the LCSPA was also able ease streaming restrictions on players and establish a first ever player summit to unify the voices of all LCS and Academy players.
The Reboot (2020):
In late 2020, the LCSPA made the choice to reboot the organization. The new LCSPA would no longer be funded by Riot, and new leadership was brought in to re-establish the PA as a truly grassroots player organization.
Groundwork (2021):
Under the leadership of President Darshan Upadhyaya and new ED Phil Aram, the LCSPA has flourished. In 2021, the LCSPA built an education program to support amateur players in the Proving Grounds circuit, instigated and facilitated the workplace misconduct investigation of Andy Dinh, protected and improved Academy jobs, and laid the groundwork for what would become Champions Queue.
Growth (2022-2023):
2022 was a banner year for the LCSPA’s growth. The year began with the launch of the LCSPA’s Group Licensing Rights program with OneTeam Partners - a historic partnership capable of making the LCSPA sustainable and creating new revenue for players, teams, and Riot. Champions Queue was launched in early spring as the first developer funded pro player inhouse league with significant prizing to players. In the fall, the LCSPA announced its first expansion as it sought to unite the players of the LCS with Valorant’s Americas League, the AVPA, players under one banner.
In 2023, The LCSPA organized the first ever leaguewide walk-out in esports history after Riot gutted the NA tier two scene. The PA won long term financial support for tier two competition, minimum standards for termination without cause, and an equal say workday schedules. 2023 was also the year the LCSPA became the only non-LCS team organization capable of sponsoring players for Korean solo queue accounts allow the PA to ensuring tier two players continue to have robust opportunity to train abroad.