we need more tier 1 slots

allat warning
This is mainly for EMEA and APAC, but I think there is a vast underrepresentation of some countries/talents in these regions. This is the current partner structure:

EMEA:
2x Turkey - BBL, FUT
3x Spain - KOI, TH, GX
2x France - KC, VIT
2x UK - FNC, TL
1x East - NAVI

This leaves out notable regions such as DACH, Scandinavia, MENA and CIS
Leads to underrepresentation of: East

APAC:
3x KR - GENG, T1, DRX
2x JP - DFM, ZETA
1x SA - GE
1x MY/SG - PRX
1x Indo - RRQ
1x PH - TS
1x TH - TLN

This leaves out: Vietnam, OCE
This leads to underrepresentation of: Indo, MY/SG, TH and PH

I don't know enough about CN to comment on them, but for AMER a slot or two could definitely help the central American region. imo there's nothing fundamentally wrong with having imbalanced leagues i.e. 12 AMER/16 EMEA/16 APAC/ 10 CN (partnered), so long as only 2/3/4 teams qualify for Masters/Champs respectively. I think the main issue we already have is that orgs can be from wherever, but they don't have to necessarily harbour players from their region, this is a completely separate debate but imo teams should have a minimum of 2 players from their sub region (yes, ik this part is a hot take), I think this alongside adding more slots this would really help VCT reach more localised audiences.

T2 international tourney now who's with me

Stormyv8 [#2]

T2 international tourney now who's with me

definitely

OCE deserves a spot imo, its a major region. Problem is the internet is famously not very good in the region, not to mention how impossible it would be to scrim outside teams due to ping. Also lets give a slot to the Vatican city and let the pope coach a team of priests to win champs

I want OCE to have a spot the only problem is that its completely fucking arse and there's barely a T2 scene. We have like 3, maybe 4 orgs in total. and our players that are in T1 are in CN not APAC so there's much less publicity for them in OCE. I feel like any OCE team would just be another GE

there's also so much unearthed talent in na it's crazy, that should be the case for most regions, so I think it's time for the orgs to move on from the old guard and give some opportunities to cracked ranked and t3 players, if teams had not taken these risks, we would never have gotten narrate, karon, demon1, primmie.

I agree with your take about there not being enough representation, however I know that the reality is riot will not change tier 1 significantly in the coming years.

What I propose is to strengthen tier 2 instead. My idea is every end of split there will be a region wide tournament ex. for APAC after every split, the top 1 or 2 teams from SEA, SA, KR, JP, and OCE will have a regional tournament. This will have more eyes on tier 2 because we know cross country tournaments activate national pride. This will give us more competition and more tier 2 talent will be recognized. Just a simple single bracket tournament would be enough

KssS [#7]

I agree with your take about there not being enough representation, however I know that the reality is riot will not change tier 1 significantly in the coming years.

What I propose is to strengthen tier 2 instead. My idea is every end of split there will be a region wide tournament ex. for APAC after every split, the top 1 or 2 teams from SEA, SA, KR, JP, and OCE will have a regional tournament. This will have more eyes on tier 2 because we know cross country tournaments activate national pride. This will give us more competition and more tier 2 talent will be recognized. Just a simple single bracket tournament would be enough

I don't think we'll get a change soon either (At least by 2027 or 2028 minimum), but change is possible. For all the hate Leo Faria gets you can't argue he isn't receptive to the community, when the off season was too long, he shortened it, when tier 2 didn't have games year round, he fixed it. So I'm hoping this is an issue they can be receptive on.

As for tier 2 it also needs to change, the current system with orgs basically having nothing to gain but a promise of 1 year of tier 1 (in which there's a chance riot decline their org anyways) is far, far too little of an incentive. I like your idea of having a region wide tournament and I believe there are already plans to do one in EMEA, so judging off of how that goes I think it might be something that can be implemented globally

ItzZausty [#5]

I want OCE to have a spot the only problem is that its completely fucking arse and there's barely a T2 scene. We have like 3, maybe 4 orgs in total. and our players that are in T1 are in CN not APAC so there's much less publicity for them in OCE. I feel like any OCE team would just be another GE

imo better to have the org which doesn't field your players than nothing, as over many years they'll at least contribute something. But that's also why I suggested that Riot put a mandate to have a minimum of 2 players from each sub region on the team

I definitely agree with you, but not only partner team, but also ascension team, I made a video that explain in detail what to me would be the optimal solution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK21DCS2yHM

tldr ; every region need 2 more ascention spot to avoid a team that go to champions being relegated, non represented T2 league need their partner team even if they are not that good so their player can improve (Oceania, Viet Nam, Russia, MENA, Mexico)

I think you forgot the "Mongolia" representation in APAC

I agree with this. The only problem is will Riot consider this idea

Stormyv8 [#2]

T2 international tourney now who's with me

UEL type tournament?!?!

"This leaves out notable regions such as DACH"

1x SA - GE
More like 1x APAC - GE

We don't need trash OCE team. Just give it to Indo and Thailand

100% get your point but just to clarify TL is a Dutch/US Org not a UK one they have both there HQ's in the Netherlands and USA as both Co-Owners are from each of those respective countries

Kazutoshi [#17]

100% get your point but just to clarify TL is a Dutch/US Org not a UK one they have both there HQ's in the Netherlands and USA as both Co-Owners are from each of those respective countries

Their VALORANT division is based in the UK and they make use of the NE facilities whilst bootcamping