NA T2 2024 issues ? (T2 and Premier)

Hello, this year premier mode will be the way to qualify in Tier 2 scene, and every region except NA got "One Premier zone = at least 1 challenger league" (It's almost 1 zone = league, except of IBIT [Iberia-Italia], and "Asia" [Asean+'System2China']), the only exception is America have 2 zones West and East, (both zone feature Chicago and Dallas), but only 1 challenger league. If you count every team in Premier Contenders the biggest region have around 30 teams in contenders, only Asia got 54 (but it's a supraregion that have 6 T2 league, so that mean they have basically 9 team per T2 league, so that doesn't really count), LAN got 42 (Maybe one day Central America and Bolivarian states will be split in 2), and NA got 65 ! (42 in east, 20 in west, maybe east should split into Northern/Southern)

So NA is currently by far the biggest tier 2 region, and is already split in two groups of 6, but because every T2 scene got the same number of spot they dont have more ascension team than other american region (If you consider Latam being only one region, but I admit they a weird in an in-between status). To me having 2 group split with no identity is kinda weird, and I would rather see 2 distinct leagues (NAW-NAE) that will both have 2 slots in ascension and letting LAN/LAS have both 2 more team in ascention, so every ascension in every region would have 10 teams. If Riot plan to split NA this year, that would also explain why we have no info about T2 NA yet (At least I didn't find any, it has no liquipedia page yet), it's because a it's a process that take time, and they are potentially still doing a selection for the 2 leagues. Another weird fact is that last year they were 12 NA team, but during the relegation tournament, no team from T3 where allowed, the tournament only feature 4 bottom NA team and 2 of them where drop out, meaning for 2024 it would probably have 10 teams like in France or Spain, maybe they were considering to have only one group for 2024 ? What is even more weird is that on VLR page, some teams are voided only 4 team are announced, even if 10 teams were planned at the end of last year, (M80, Oxy, MoistxShopify, Turtle), what happened to the 6 other ? Well of course the Guard got promoted, G2 kinda disband after they acquire TGRD sport, Moist-Shopify fused (even if some ex Mogul seems to stay and maybe they are finding a new sponsor or brand and stay next year), but what about TSM, FaZe and ORE ? Are they disbanding ? Changing sponsor ? But even if thoo 4 are here, that mean only 8 team planned this year. Because of this year instability, they are many possibilities and maybe it's the occasion for Riot to change T2 NA for the future
So what are the possibility I can think of for this year (And I'm not even sure Riot have 100% choose yet, explaining why they are no announce) :

• Status quo : Riot replace the teams and nothing change for this year, and we have 2 group of 6.
• Solo group : Perfect moment to stop having 2 groups and having only 8/10 teams this year (Even if 10 team for a region that big may be not enough)
• Temp solo group : 8 team for first split, for split 2, we come back to status quo with 12 teams in 2 group with team from premier being promoted.
• Early NA split : NA will split in 2 right at the beginning of next season, and selection process isn't over yet.
• Rushed NA split : NA split 1 will be after the end of Premier (Early marsh), and split in 2 group of 6 or 8, letting premier team fill the remaining spots (Weird but not that impossible, since Korea almost start 1 week before the end of premier)
• Late NA split : Start with one group of 8 for split 1, ask them if they want to be west or east next split, and split NA in NAW-NAE for split 2 giving the remaining slot to premier team (as it is supposed to be)

What possibility do you think it's the more realist for next year ?
Do you think Riot plan to separate NA in two also in challenger league ?
Do you wish they split NA in 2 ?
If they split, how many slots do you think every region of America will have ?
Would you like a Southern US Premier for 2025 to make West/East more balance ?

I think the fact that NA has 1 tier 2 league is it's biggest strength

nutab1e [#2]

I think the fact that NA has 1 tier 2 league is it's biggest strength

Interesting POV but I kinda disagree with that, in League of Legends it's a curse, nobody care about T2 NA scene (Because it's the same proximity as tier 1) and they have a lot of issue finding new player (they import a lot), if you compare with EU, they are a lot of team and plenty more of occasion to new player to blossom, and people enjoy T2 because they have a sense of proximity.
It's a little bit different for Valorant because since T1 NA doesn't exist, so T2 NA might a little bit fill the gap, but still, not having enough spot in T2 might be a long term problem for new player because not enough possibility to prove themself, plus more T2 have proximity, more people can care about it and create rivalries, for exemple France vs Spain rivalries is a huge thing, and I'm sure a West coast - East coast rivalry could be an amazing thing in Valorant.
Maybe a compromise would be to have West group, East group, but mixed playoffs ?

Also, do you think next year we will be 2 groups of 6, or one unique group or 8 or 10 ?