LCS finally returns to weekends in 2024 & reveals new commissioner
Reece Martinez/Riot GamesThe LCS has long needed a commissioner to step into a leadership role after Jackie Felling’s departure, and former caster & analyst MarkZ is stepping directly into the role. Additionally, he’s announced that, while there are some details that have yet to be revealed, the LCS will be returning to the weekends.
LCS viewership hasn’t been in the best place for the past few years. Since the boom in the late 2010s and into 2020, average and peak viewership has been on a steady decline.
What’s more, the LCS has been in need of a new commissioner for a large portion of 2023. When it comes to addressing issues that fans have had with the League overall, getting new leadership into the role may be just the boost the LCS needs.
So, rather than grabbing someone from the outside, the LCS has instead decided to promote from within and move Mark Zimmerman, aka MarkZ, off the caster desk and into a leadership role.
MarkZ takes over as LCS commissioner with weekend game days
Even with NRG having a fantastic storyline in 2023 and teams like FlyQuest, Cloud9, and Golden Guardians investing heavily in creating strong rosters, viewership was on the decline for much of 2023.
While the LCS will look very different in 2024 as it says goodbye to Evil Geniuses and Golden Guardians, there are positives to wean from off-season changes this year. For instance, MarkZ announcing that he’s becoming the LCS commissioner and that the LCS is returning to the weekends.
People struggling to find time to view the LCS for its weekday schedule was a much-cited reason from dedicated LCS fans as to why they decided to step away. It’s hard to watch the broadcast live when you’re at work or in class.
It remains to be seen if the scheduling change was really the primary issue with viewership or if there are deeper seeded problems within the region, but fans of the league are excited to see it return to that time slot. It’s yet unclear if changes to a BO3 schedule are in the cards.
MarkZ and Travis Gafford also addressed the future of other projects Mark was involved with prior to the announcement. Not only will he have to step away from the desk for this role, he’ll also need to step away from other shows like Hotline League.
Azael has also confirmed that Mark will no longer be a part of The Dive, an LCS podcast that’s been running for years. MarkZ’s new role will be a big transition for him, and those who have worked with him for years are sad that he won’t be a part of their projects anymore.
Since @TheeMarkZ is becoming the new #LCS commissioner, it sadly means he'll be leaving The Dive.
— Isaac CB (@AzaelOfficial) December 12, 2023
Mark has been one of my favourite people to chat & work with for many years now. I'm super happy for him getting his new role, but I'll really miss working with him every week 😭 pic.twitter.com/BfCMir9eOy
MarkZ has worked as an LCS analyst, caster, as well as with teams as a coach and analyst, giving him a wide range of experience suited to the role. He’s going to take some time to learn the responsibilities that come with the role, though he plans to reveal more details on what will be changing in the LCS in January.
