The LCK is in serious financial trouble. Even though they’re smashing viewership records, the league has been losing big money every year, and experts are worried it could eventually collapse if something doesn’t change.

While the LCK wasn’t exactly making big profits in 2022 or 2023, 2024 was a disaster. It marked the biggest losses the league has ever seen, and things don’t seem much better so far in 2025.

LCK Is Bleeding Money Despite Huge Viewership NumbersImage: dealsite.co.kr

Thanks to new public financial reports, we know how much money is lost. During the last three years, LCK suffered a total loss of around $29.6 million USD, most of it just from last year (almost $20 million USD). Meanwhile, revenue dropped hard, from about $19.3 million USD in 2022 to just $7.9 million USD in 2024.

Another big blow was the collapse of the LCK’s exclusive streaming deal with China’s Huya platform, which used to bring in a lot of money. Plus, hosting Valorant Champions Seoul at LoL Park added extra operational costs.

You should understand that Riot Games is making money from outside of esports, and esports is a big marketing tool. So no, the LCK isn’t about to disappear tomorrow. But if things keep trending this way, the league’s future could be shaky — and it’s a worrying sign for other regions, too, where viewership is already falling after Riot’s 2025 changes.

Main image: x.com

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