Thats why go to 16 teams was necessary, 4 games more for everyone, not a full split more, more game for bad teams, no weird format in kickoff, more ascended team to give more carrots, keep shortplayoff (4 team in winner, 4 team in looser), you can even add an LCQ that is play during the stage 2 playoffs (that count as a triple looser bracket) and we are good
The problem is that kickoff and lockin is the same goal : Opening event
4 international event, would be too mush, redundant ans too expansive, both format got the same goal : qualify team with the lowest amount of games possible to have the first final as mush as possible as the start of the season. Doing a lock in with a looser bracket may be too long and too expansive, thats why kickoff is an excellent compromise, it pays less team a ticket for an international event
To give you an idea you can make a swiss round with 64 teams and eliminating every team that have 2 looses, after 7 rounds, you would have 7 teams still qualified (One with no loose in semi-final, and 6 with 1 loose in quarter)
Another exemple of swiss round with 48 team, after 4 round and still qualify only team with 1 and 0 loose you would still have 15 teams
LOCK/IN being too expensive is a myth.
Every six months ESL holds ESL Pro League - a CS tournament, for 32 teams all across the world. With the lower bracket, proper group stage and A BIGGER PRIZEPOOL than LOCK/IN -
850k for EPL, 500k for LOCK/IN
a third party tournament operator can easily twice per year host a way better tournament with a much better level of production and a bigger prizepool, while having significantly less resources and money than Riot
so what's the excuse?
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