The EU LCS Spring Split is done and dusted and Rift Rivals and the Mid-Season Invitational are still a few weeks away, which usually would mean a break in the action for fans of European League of Legends. But this year we have something new to keep us entertained – and so far it’s done a great job.

The European Masters competition is an event run by Riot Games alongside ESL. It gives the best teams in Europe that didn’t make it into the LCS for this season a chance to compete for a hefty prize pool – and perhaps more importantly – at a large scale LAN event. €150,000 is up for grabs, with 26 teams from across Europe fighting it out initially online before the top four teams head to the Haymarket Theatre in Leicester to decide the winner. But the money isn’t all that’s on the line for these teams: there’s also national pride.

“Teams are competing to prove they're the strongest from their own region, and to show off their region or league’s strength,” says Trevor ‘Quickshot’ Henry, who's a caster for the LCS and EU Masters. “KlikTech from the Balkans League, for example, exploded onto the scene and already made a massive splash taking down Origen in the group stage and earning themselves a spot in the quarter finals in playoffs.”

Going into the competition, few would have known who KlikTech were. They come from the Balkans region, which doesn't get too much viewership over in Western Europe, and they had to make it through the play-in stage to even get into the EU Masters main event. But they’ve managed to pull off some big wins during their run and impressed everyone along the way.

“KlikTech are the breakout performers for me,” says Henry. “This group of players from the Balkans League know what they want to do, and they commit. They have played a variety of comps and have shown an understanding of how to play the map as well. The disappointment for me is from the ESL Meisterschaft regions. All the squads have really struggled and are eliminated already.”

KlikTech may be the one team that's impressed many people, but across the event, we've been introduced to new players who have shown they have some serious talent. With the Challenger Series gone and tonnes of regional leagues all taking place at similar times, it can become difficult for young players to get noticed by the big teams, which means that the EU Masters is a great opportunity for them.

Quickshot is used to working with UK talent Riot Games A photo of Quickshot casting with Vedius.

“This is the first time that the majority of regional leagues have some representation,” says Henry. “Multiple teams representing the regional leagues with players from so many European countries and all for our viewing pleasure. I know for a fact that many LCS teams and pros are watching this tournament – and when teams and players stand out, they get recognised. Kristian ‘TynX’ Hansen from GamersOrigin, for example, is a monster in the jungle and I can’t wait to see him against stronger opponents in the playoffs.”

For most of the teams out there, this is a great chance for their younger players or those who haven’t had a chance to play at the top level to get noticed and get some vital experience of international competition. But there’s one team that bucks this trend. Instead of introducing us to new names, Origen have gone to the opposite end of the spectrum and brought back some former LCS legends. It makes sense on paper, as Origen are a fan favourite and bringing in well known players has certainly made them the most popular team in the competition. And for the most part, their results have been good, and they'll play at LAN this weekend.

“It’s extremely clear this new team has teething problems, struggles in communication and individuals that need carrying. However, the quality and calibre of the players also shines through and individuals have stepped up to carry individual games,” says Henry. “After finding themselves in the tie-breaker games, they managed to go 2-0 up and take top seed from their group. In a sense of irony, they faced NiP in the quarter finals, a team which has a history with origin in the EU LCS.”

FORG1VEN is back in Origen colours Riot Games FORG1VEN is back for his second run on Origen

This represents a comeback for Origen. Despite making it to the Worlds semi-final just a few years ago, they have since fallen off the ladder, dropping out of the LCS and doing little of note in recent months. However, this comeback has shown there’s still a lot of support for the brand, and with the EU LCS going to a franchised model next year, this could be the start of their campaign to make it into the league.

“I'd guess that this roster was signed for the duration of EU Masters, and not for anything longer,” says Henry when asked if Origen could be in the EU LCS next year. “I don’t personally see them competing in any other tournaments at this stage, but I don’t know for sure. I also think the Origen brand is very strong, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them applying for EU LCS Long Term Partnerships.”

The EU Masters is clearly a great opportunity for all players involved. The money is a nice bonus, but the ability to show off their skills to a massive audience is a chance that very few players will ever get and could lead to bigger and better things. But it isn’t just the players that have had a great opportunity: ESL has brought in a number of UK casters who rarely work Riot events and they've had the chance to work with the likes of Henry and other LCS veterans.

“One of the exciting things about the EU Masters for me personally is working alongside some names and faces I’ve not worked with in the past,” says Henry. “Off air we have had plenty of discussions and VOD review sessions where I share some ideas on casting I've learned from the EU LCS, and they share all the regional local league knowledge that I don’t know. It’s a great system and Dan ‘Foxdrop’ Wyatt seems to have struck a chord with viewers. Many people have enjoyed his work, myself included. I can’t speak about the idea of [bringing them to] Berlin – that’s quite far ahead as we still have the offline finals and MSI before we even think about Summer Split!”

For the four remaining teams, the real opportunity awaits this weekend. Thousands will be watching and you can be sure that all the LCS teams and those looking to enter the league next year will be watching, trying to scout out their star player of the future. But looking too far into the future is difficult, especially when we still have some great matches to watch, which leaves only one question. Who walks out as EU Masters champion?

“I’ve already predicted Origen on Twitter, but I’m not exactly confident in that prediction,” says Henry. “The old boys have definitely shown several weaknesses which could be exploited, but I value their experience in high-pressure situations. If it’s not them, then Mad Lions or GamersOrigin are top contenders from Spain and France respectively.”

All that's left to do now is sit back and watch the last few matches of the EU Masters, which promises to be quite a show. With the winners taking home €40,000, you can be sure that all the teams will be at the top of their game, and while it may not be the EU LCS, the quality of both the matches and broadcast will surely rival that of Riot’s flagship European broadcast.