First Stand 2025 Achieves the Notorious Title “Lackluster Performance”
It can be said that First Stand 2025 has brought new experiences to viewers as a major international tournament organized by Riot, employing the Fearless Draft. However, it has also sparked considerable controversy. The tournament has been criticized for its long duration and lack of engaging matches, which many perceive as a “dull affair” in the League of Legends community. This is the reason why First Stand 2025 has recorded the lowest viewership for an international tournament by Riot in the past three years.
Specifically, the total viewership for First Stand 2025 peaked at only about 1.1 million, according to statistics from Esports Charts. In contrast, the recently concluded LCK Cup 2025 garnered nearly 800,000 more views. It is worth mentioning that the LCK Cup 2025 also witnessed T1 facing a shocking defeat just after the first match of the playoffs.
The low viewership for First Stand 2025 could be attributed to the extended duration of the tournament over a short time frame. However, a more significant reason, as many viewers have pointed out, is the absence of a “star team” in League of Legends, with T1 being the prime example. For those who may not know, currently, all matches that rank in the top 5 for the highest viewership recorded by Esports Charts typically feature T1.
However, First Stand 2025 has also successfully fulfilled its objectives
In reality, Riot did not expect this tournament to attract viewership comparable to the World Championship or MSI – tournaments that are both valued highly and have significant competitive importance. Nevertheless, First Stand 2025 has succeeded in helping audiences visualize the Fearless Draft and how it will be applied in future international tournaments, as well as the remaining part of the competitive season.
However, there is also a significant factor that if T1 or teams like G2, Bilibili Gaming, etc., continue to dominate in international tournaments over the past time, the potential for MSI or the World Championship to attract attention will depend on how these “star teams” perform in unexpected outcomes and must… perform at home.
