LCS analyst and host Barento “Raz” Mohammed has publicly disputed claims made by Vivo Keyd Stars coach “SeeEl” regarding North America’s World Championship seed allocation.
The exchange started when SeeEl gave an interview to Sheep Esports arguing that NA’s third Worlds spot stems from business considerations rather than competitive merit. He suggested that Riot prioritizes the region due to higher advertising revenue and CPM rates in the US market.
SeeEl proposed that CBLOL would benefit more from having opportunities to compete for additional Worlds slots than NA would from maintaining a guaranteed third seed. He argued that giving NA more spots won’t fix the LCS’s structural problems including overspending on imports and a weakened talent pipeline.
Raz responded on X with receipts challenging several of SeeEl’s points. He highlighted that NA’s third seed has repeatedly performed well at Worlds, citing Cloud9’s multiple quarterfinal appearances and 2018 semifinal run as the region’s third representative.
The LCS host also disputed the characterization that NA has been worse than EU across the board. He called it “insane” to suggest Brazil has been historically competitive at Worlds, pointing to specific tournament results.
SeeEl later clarified his position in a follow-up post. He stated he believes EU’s larger player base warrants three seeds while NA’s commercial value justifies two. His proposal would give CBLOL a path to compete for an additional spot rather than guarantee NA a third.
The coach emphasized his argument centered on business logic and long-term ecosystem health. He noted that EU’s community is bigger while NA is more valuable commercially, leading to his suggested three-two split between the regions.
Historical context fuels the debate
Cloud9’s performance as NA’s third seed has indeed been notable. The organization reached quarterfinals in 2016, 2017, and 2021 as the third seed. Their 2018 run to semifinals remains a frequently cited example of NA’s depth.
Brazilian teams have not reached Worlds knockout stages despite memorable moments like KaBuM! e-Sports’ upset at 2014 Worlds. CBLOL’s international results lag behind major regions in terms of advancement and win rates.
The discussion comes amid the 2025 Americas structure that created cross-region playoffs between NA and CBLOL teams to determine Worlds representation. This format has intensified debates about slot allocation and regional strength.
Riot’s seed distribution has historically balanced competitive results with commercial considerations. LPL and LCK typically receive four seeds while LEC and LCS have gotten three in recent years. The allocation reflects both regional performance and market value to the publisher.
