Los Ratones took down G2 Esports in a best-of-one last week with both teams sitting at 4-4 records. The match marked a milestone for a team that technically shouldn’t be able to play in the LEC at all.
Riot introduced a special format called “LEC Versus” specifically to let Los Ratones participate in official LEC matches this winter. The format operates as a guest-team system that sidesteps the normal franchising requirements.
Under standard LEC rules, new teams need to buy an existing franchise slot to compete. Those slots were sold to partner organizations when the league franchised. Los Ratones didn’t buy anything. They were simply invited.
The team is backed by prominent League streamer Caedrel and features veteran competitive players. Their matches draw massive viewership numbers compared to typical LEC broadcasts. The G2 game reportedly pulled over 300,000 viewers on co-streams alone.
LEC Versus exists separate from the traditional spring and summer splits that determine MSI and Worlds qualification. That separation gave Riot room to experiment with the format without disrupting the established competitive calendar or franchise agreements.
The arrangement has a built-in expiration date. Los Ratones are invited for the winter season specifically. When spring split begins, the guest format ends.
What happens when winter ends
Riot faces a structural problem once the experiment concludes. Bringing Los Ratones into the regular LEC permanently would require either buying back a franchise slot, convincing an existing org to sell, or adding expansion slots.
All three options carry complications. Buying back slots costs money. Orgs might not want to sell. Expansion requires negotiating with current franchise partners who paid for exclusivity and scarcity.
