Riot Games and ESL have announced their plans for the League of Legends 2018 UK Premiership, and this new season "aims to go all out in welcoming new competitive League players from the UK to the world stage with a brand new second division," as the press release phrases it, the emphasis also being on the up-and-coming members of the community.
This isn't just about players though, as Tuesday streams will now be opened up to the casting community as ESL looks to target the grassroots level and developer broadcasting talent. As for players though, information on signing up can be found at this link, with extra help if you're new to the ESL format and are confused with the process. All you need to know right now though is that all submissions for teams should be received by Monday January 29.
Mo Fadl, Head of Esports at Riot Games, said: "The introduction of a second division to this new premiership is an incredibly important step for the evolution of League of Legends as an esport. As one of the leading titles in the industry we know growth is the most important factor going forward. More and more teams have emerged in recent years, and are constantly improving all the time. With big teams like Diabolus more invested in competition than ever before, the LoL ecosystem is constantly being pushed to new heights of competitive play, the inclusion of a new second tier creates a whole new playing field of competition and that's a hugely exciting change for the League".
Do you like the introduction of a second division?