The League of Legends European Championship Spring Finals was meant to be held in Budapest for the first time this year, but due to the ongoing concern about the spread of coronavirus, Riot Games has decided to move the event back to the LEC studio in Berlin.
Alberto ‘Tiroless’ Guerrero, the head of esports in Europe, says the company has decided to make “the difficult decision” and change the venue to protect the players, fans, and staff who planned to attend the event. Although Riot cannot remove all elements of risk, the team believes holding the finals in a smaller setting is the best way to reduce that risk.
“After carefully assessing the situation, we believe that holding the event in a smaller setting and a more controlled environment is the right call,” he says in the statement. “While we currently plan to host a live audience in the Berlin studio, we will continue to monitor the situation and work with local health officials to ensure the safety of players and fans, and will revisit this decision if necessary.
“We understand that this is a disappointment for fans, particularly those in Hungary, but we will look into options to bring the LEC to Budapest in the future. We’d like to thank all of our fans, players, and partners for their continued trust and support throughout this time.”
The LEC Spring Finals will take place on April 25-26.
