2022 LCS season

The Summer Split regular season ran from June 17 to August 14, 2022. The regular season followed the same format as the Spring Split.^[7] The LCS Championship playoffs ran from August 20 to September 11, 2022, and followed a double-elimination tournament format. The top eight teams with the highest regular season records secured spots in the playoffs, with the top two starting in the upper bracket semifinals, the following four starting in the upper bracket quarterfinals, and the remaining two starting in the lower bracket. The top three teams from the playoffs qualified for the 2022 League of Legends World Championship.^[8] The LCS Championship Finals were played at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. ^[9]

• Most Valuable Player: Inspired, Evil Geniuses^[11]
• Rookie of the Year: jojopyun, Evil Geniuses^[10]
• Most Improved Player: Contractz, Counter Logic Gaming^[10]
• Coaching Staff of the Split: Counter Logic Gaming^[10]

The LCS celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2022 with a series of activities and content throughout the year. The League Championship Series had its first regular season match on February 7, 2013, where Counter Logic Gaming forced a surrender vote out of Team SoloMid. The LCS organized various activities and content throughout the 2022 competitive season, such as special episodes of LCS shows that were planned to air during the season. The celebrations were set to conclude at the 2022 LCS Championship.^[12]

On July 13, 2022, Riot Games took action against Andy Dinh, the CEO and co-founder of TSM, as a result of an LCS investigation. Dinh received a US$75,000 fine and a two-year probation period. The investigation revealed a recurring pattern of bullying and disparaging conduct directed at TSM players and staff, resulting in violations of two LCS rules related to profanity, hate speech, and harassment. During this two-year probation, an independent monitor would manage a reporting system for all TSM employees to report any potential misconduct or rule violations by Dinh. Additionally, TSM would be mandated to provide a notice, approved by the league, to both current employees and new hires, granting access to the reporting system and explaining its purpose. The ruling specified that any subsequent rule violations by Dinh during the probation period would lead to severe penalties within the Riot ecosystem. Riot Games also required TSM to demonstrate within 60 days that Dinh had completed sensitivity training and executive coaching from a provider endorsed by the LCS.^[13]

The investigation was initiated in late 2021 when Yiliang "Doublelift" Peng, a former TSM player, accused Dinh of verbally mistreating other players during a live stream. Following this, the LCS Players Association (LCSPA) reached out to other players and TSM employees to validate Peng's claims. Riot's inquiry included interviews with 14 individuals, including Dinh, and a review of relevant documents, such as emails, public statements, and videos. Several widely circulated videos spanning nearly a decade depicted Dinh shouting at other TSM esports athletes. The league's investigation was distinct from an inquiry commissioned by TSM's parent company, Swift, which concluded that Dinh had not engaged in unlawful conduct. However, Dinh did acknowledge his aggressive demeanor and committed to coaching. The league's competitive ruling was made independently from TSM's internal investigation.^[13]

On August 8, 2022, Riot Games announced the permanent ban of former TSM coach Peter Zhang from all League of Legends esports events due to confirmed accusations made against him earlier that year. This action came after Riot verified accusations made against Zhang earlier in the year. These allegations involved his mishandling of players' salaries, which ultimately led to his termination from TSM in March. Riot's investigation substantiated the findings of TSM's internal inquiry and resulted in Zhang's exclusion from Riot-sanctioned League events. Riot clarified that Zhang's actions were in violation of LCS rules. He diverted portions of player salaries to his own accounts and those of his associates, failed to provide full compensation to a former TSM player for the sale of their car, and sought loans from TSM players and staff. During the period between December 2021 and February 2022, Zhang appropriated approximately $250,000 from two players, who were meant to receive a significant part of their earnings through a third-party entity in China.^[14]

The identities of the two affected players were not disclosed, although there were indications that one of them was former TSM support Yursan. In addition to the salary diversions, Zhang also approached eight TSM players and staff members for financial assistance, leading to his immediate dismissal from TSM upon the discovery of these actions. TSM promptly took steps to reverse pending wire transfers, preventing Zhang from obtaining an additional $20,000 in loans. As of now, around $4,500 in outstanding loans remains unpaid to the players who extended financial support to Zhang. One of the most prominent allegations against Zhang pertained to his involvement in the sale of a car on behalf of former TSM support SwordArt. Despite the sale yielding $80,000, Zhang only returned $35,000 to SwordArt, leaving $45,000 unpaid, as confirmed by Riot's investigation.^[14]

Zhang was given the opportunity to defend himself by providing a statement, but his response did not contain compelling evidence to challenge the report's accuracy. Consequently, Riot imposed a permanent ban on Zhang, prohibiting his involvement in official Riot-sanctioned League esports events and his association with any team participating in official leagues and competitions worldwide. This decision was made in accordance with Section 14.2.10 of the LCS rulebook, which empowers the LCS to penalize individuals for conduct that disrupts the league's rules and integrity standards.^[14]