Reports Reveal European League of Legends Esports League Accumulated $60-Million Deficit
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- The League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) amassed a $32-million deficit in 2023.
- According to Riot’s reports, LEC has accumulated a $60-million total deficit.
- Even the LCK, League of Legends’ most successful region, is bleeding money.
Riot Games publicly shared financial reports for the LEC, revealing the league’s accumulated a total deficit of $60 million. $32 million of it was reportedly from 2023, a year that saw layoffs at Riot Games. According to Sheepesports, Tencent had adopted a stricter policy a year prior to the layoffs, thereby pressuring Riot to cut its workforce.
These policies were set to increase profit margins and continue building financial success; Riot Games needed to justify its investments with definite results.
Source: LEC
Esports leagues frequently operate at a financial loss, and the League of Legends EMEA Championship is no exception. Even the League of Legends Champions Korea bleeds money despite its status as one of the most prominent esports regions globally. Rather than serving as standalone profit centers, esports competitions often function as strategic brand assets — enhancing a game’s visibility and reinforcing its cultural relevance and investment narratives.
Within the same Sheepesports report, Riot Games stated that it had generated approximately $1.75 billion in sales, with a net profit of $436 million. Despite League of Legends esports’ constant bleeding of money, Riot Games remains financially profitable.
