League of Legends: LPL to Resume on March 9th
| Tags: League of Legends
| Author David Hollingsworth
The LPL announced it will be returning this March.
Back in January, the League of Legends Pro League (LPL) made the tough call to put the league on indefinite hold due to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak in China. A month later the LPL has confirmed that the LPL will return on March 9th.
The English broadcasts will resume on March 15th and will be available on both Twitch and YouTube. The English casters confirmed on Twitter today that they’ll be flying out over the weekend to China and face self-quarantine.
As for the players and league itself, all players will also be required to complete a 14-day monitored quarantine period and meet all local health requirements. In the meantime, the LPL Spring Split will be held online until they can resume using the venue. Players will play matches via their team’s headquarters, with exception given to those already under quarantine and unable to leave. LPL referees will be arranged at team headquarters to maintain fairness and impartiality.
This will be the first test for esports under coronavirus conditions. With the LPL going online, technical issues are bound to crop up. Esports finds itself in a unique position compared to any traditional sport and is likely something we’ll see more of as the virus spreads.