LEC Spring 2025 hits a three-year watch time high, but grand final viewership dips
KOI fought through blood, sweat, and tears to finally showcase their true potential, winning LEC Spring 2025 and bringing joy to thousands of Spanish and international fans, and, of course, to their biggest supporter, team owner Ibai “Ibai” Llanos. Alongside the historic accomplishment by the Spanish squad, the league itself hit a major milestone, recording its highest watch time in three years. However, the grand final still fell short in terms of viewer numbers.
This was KOI’s third season in the LEC, and up until the 2025 Spring Split, things hadn’t been particularly impressive. Their best result had been a second-place finish in Winter 2024, when they were still competing under the MAD Lions KOI banner. What stung even more was that their “frenemies” Karmine Corp had tasted success in the league earlier (winning Winter 2025 and representing Europe at First Stand), despite entering the LEC a year after KOI. But now, that burden has been lifted.
Early in the split, KOI didn’t look like title contenders. They finished the regular season in third place and didn’t come off as playoff favorites. Over the course of the split, they had both beaten top-tier teams and lost to direct rivals. It was in the playoffs that KOI truly came into their own.
They kicked off the elimination stage with a wild five-game thriller against long-time rivals KC, ultimately coming out on top 3:2. That was followed by a tough loss to G2 Esports: no surprise, given G2’s legendary status in the league. Dropping into the lower bracket, KOI faced KC again in another nail-biting series and once again prevailed. After that, KOI had the chance to get their revenge on G2 Esports — this time, in the grand final.
Many expected the grand final to be another G2 masterclass, but KOI had different plans: they came out swinging and wrapped up the series 3:1. With that, KOI claimed their first-ever LEC title, with standout performances from David "Supa" Garcia, Joseph "Jojopyun" Joon Pyun, and of course Javier "Elyoya" Batalla, all of whom earned widespread praise for their incredible form during a well-deserved championship run.
KOI was involved in what were arguably the most thrilling and high-stakes matches of the tournament, often going head-to-head with the strongest and most media-hyped opponents. In fact, four of the tournament’s five most-watched games featured the Spanish squad, with two matches each against G2 Esports and Karmine Corp.
More broadly, the event once again demonstrated how viewership is heavily influenced by the performance of its four most popular teams, which continue to dominate audience metrics. For instance, the teams that finished first and second in team viewership rankings drew over 100,000 more average concurrent viewers per match than the fifth-place team, a staggering difference that highlights just how top-heavy the league’s fan interest really is.
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The tournament's grand finale peaked at 509,010 concurrent live viewers, notably below the league's typical standards. Every split earlier this year drew higher numbers, with the last sub-500,000 peak occurring during LEC Summer 2024.
The truly significant milestone, however, came in total viewership duration. As one of the longest-running events in LEC history, Spring 2025 amassed over 32.6 million Hours Watched. This marks the fifth-highest total ever recorded for the league and its best performance in three years, an achievement worthy of celebration.
KOI's remarkable run to the finals, featuring in the tournament's most electrifying matches against giants like G2 and Karmine Corp, underscores far more than just a strong split. This victory is a pivotal moment for the Spanish organization, solidifying their place among the EMEA elite and proving their championship pedigree. More significantly, it serves as a stark reminder to long-standing powerhouses like Fnatic and G2 Esports that the league's newcomers are no longer content with supporting roles: they are here to win the biggest trophies.
The journey doesn't end here for KOI or their finals rivals, G2 Esports. Both teams have secured coveted spots at the upcoming pinnacle international events. First, they'll battle the world's best at the 2025 Mid-Season Invitational in Vancouver, kicking off June 27th. Following swiftly after, both will proudly represent the EMEA region at the prestigious Esports World Cup 2025 starting mid-July, carrying the region's hopes onto the global stage.
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