On May 1st, 2024, the inaugural matches of the Mid-Season Invitational took place in Chengdu, China. The international League of Legends tournament commenced with remarkable success, drawing in over 1.5 million Peak Viewers during the first day of the Play-In stage. This milestone represented the highest viewership ever recorded in the series' history.
Two matches were held during the opening day of the Mid-Season Invitational 2024: FlyQuest outmatched PSG Talon, while T1 took down Estral Esports. The intensity peaked in the first series as FlyQuest initially stumbled with a loss on the first map; however, PSG Talon's failure to capitalize on their K`Sante and Kalista picks twice led to their eventual defeat in the series. Meanwhile, T1 secured a commanding victory against Estral Esports, despite momentarily ceding control in the second map; despite the rocky start, the notable skill gap between the teams allowed T1 to clinch victory.
The opening day matches collectively drew around 4.8 million Hours Watched, marking a 58% surge compared to last year's tournament kickoff. This is the second-highest viewership in the series' history, trailing only MSI 2021, which had a different format featuring more matches.
Additionally, other key metrics showed significant growth. During the first day's broadcasts, peak viewership surpassed 1.5 million viewers, peaking during the T1 versus Estral match. No other tournament in the series has achieved such high viewership on its opening day. Compared to the previous tournament, peak viewership increased by 55%.
Two key factors fueled the remarkable beginning — the involvement of T1 and a more convenient timezone for Korean League of Legends fans. Now, the question is whether they can sustain this level of enthusiasm for the club's upcoming matches.
May 2nd marks the second day of MSI 2024. Fans can anticipate two matches: Top Esports versus LOUD and Fnatic against GAM Esports. Stay updated on the event's progress through the live reporting page.
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