Just wanted to share my thoughts on here in regards to the current discussion surrounding Riot Games and their approach to their tier 2 scene for Valorant: I don't think anyone is expecting/wanting Riot Games to create a "Tier 2 League" or be hands on with the tier 2 community. However, I think what people DO want is for Riot Games to not cut tier 2 at the knees, by not allow 3rd parties to host events/tournaments/leagues/etc and allow the tier 2 scene develop organically. When Valorant first released back in 2020, the tier 2 teams were thriving along side with the tier 1 teams. Tons of events, KVL (Knights Valorant League) was popping with a plethora of new talent, tons of content creators popped up around esports, it was the golden age of Valorant. In my opinion, we need to do away with this narrative that tier 2 isn't sustainable or cannot do well because its simply not true, and we've seen that to be the case In this very game. Don't believe me? Just look at the Renegades Invitational back in October of 2020. A tournament with a large prize pool that saw a healthy mix of tier 1 and tier 2 teams competing in it. Back then, new and exciting teams/players popped up left, right, and center. https://lnkd.in/ewWsd2fS As a matter of fact, take a look at any tournament around this time and you'll continue to see the same trend. If Riot Games wants Valorant to wear the proverbial crown as "top dog" in esports, then we need to go back to the way things were before. Keep your franchise league, and keeps all your current plans. Riot Games just needs to give their tier 2 scene a fighting chance if they plan for the game to have a long and fruitful future.
