Travis Gafford, one of the most influential content creators in North American League of Legends esports, has announced he’s stepping away from full-time coverage after an impressive 14-year run. In a heartfelt announcement shared across his social platforms, Gafford revealed he won’t be covering the remainder of the current season and will likely only return in a limited capacity in the future.
The veteran journalist’s talk show “Hotline League,” co-hosted with MarkZ, has aired its final episode before going on an indefinite hiatus. The show was one of the last big independent talk programs for North American LoL, featuring community call-ins and open conversations with players and industry figures.
Gafford pointed to several reasons for his decision, including personal burnout after 14 years without a real break. “I’ve been doing this for 14 years and have never been out of work,” he explained in his announcement. He also said that viewership and sponsorship opportunities in the North American LoL scene have dropped off.
Sponsorships have gotten harder to land, with Gafford mentioning that many sponsors have moved their budgets to other industries, especially AI. He said that for the first time, he had to accept financial support from Riot Games to travel to the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), changing his longtime independent relationship with both Riot and teams.
Gafford’s exit comes at a tough time for the North American competitive scene. The region has seen fewer viewers tuning in, major organizations like TSM leaving, and the controversial rebrand from LCS (League Championship Series) to LTA (League of Legends Americas).
Since the early days of competitive LoL, Gafford has been a staple of North American coverage. His player interviews and talk shows helped fans see the human side of pros and made it easier for fans to connect with the scene. His easy access to players and willingness to talk to every team made his voice stand out in the ecosystem.
A lot of fans are calling his departure the “end of an era” for North American League coverage. They say introducing LCS players to fans will be much tougher without his content. And with “Hotline League” gone, fans lose one of the few places where they could jump in and talk about the competitive scene.
Even though he’s stepping back from League, Gafford isn’t quitting content creation. He plans to spend more time on other projects, like his Riftbound channel for general gaming and Magic: The Gathering content. He’s also shown interest in making content about the Cosmere universe and taking time to focus on personal interests after so many years of hard work.
