At the same time that the top eight teams were battling it out on the field for ultimate glory, another conversation, concerning the future of league of legends and even the entire Chinese esports scene, was taking place in a private VIP viewing suite at the Capital Gymnasium.
The suite offered an excellent view, clearly overlooking the entire stage and most of the audience seats. The deafening cheers filtered through the soundproof glass, becoming somewhat muffled, yet adding to the sense of an impending storm. Qin Feng sat in the main seat, and opposite him were several impeccably dressed, distinguished men and women. They were not gamers, but rather capital representatives from top domestic investment institutions, major brands, and traditional sports sectors. They had been attracted by the immense potential and financial opportunities emanating from this nascent field, drawn in by this unprecedentedly successful event.
"Mr. Qin, I must admit, the scale and influence of this event you planned have exceeded our previous expectations," Mr. Wang, a partner from a well-known venture capital fund, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, was the first to speak. His gaze swept over the surging sea of stars below the stage. "To operate an online game at the scale of a national-level sports venue and gather such high popularity in such a short period is nothing short of a business miracle."
Ms. Li, another representative from an international sports brand, nodded in agreement: "The atmosphere on site, the enthusiasm of the young people, is indeed impressive. This is undoubtedly a very vibrant and consumption-potential young demographic."
Qin Feng smiled and calmly poured tea for his guests. He knew that praise was just an opening, and the real test lay ahead. Capital is profit-driven and cautious; they needed to see a clearer, more sustainable future.
"Thank you for your recognition," Qin Feng put down the teapot, his gaze turning to the intense match taking place below. "But this is just the beginning. The National Tournament is the cornerstone of our league of legends esports ecosystem, a declaration to prove its competitive and commercial value to everyone. And the next step, we will move towards true professionalization."
His words captured the attention of all the capital representatives.
"Professionalization?" Mr. Wang leaned forward slightly. "Mr. Qin, could you elaborate?"
"Certainly," Qin Feng's tone was steady, clearly confident. "The current competition system is mainly composed of grassroots and semi-professional teams based in cities, with high mobility and insufficient stability. What we want to do is establish a stable, standardized, and long-term commercially valuable top-tier professional league system."
He extended his finger, articulating clearly:
"First, league-based and franchise system. We will no longer adopt a completely open promotion system but will introduce fixed league franchises. We will invite or select capital or enterprises with strength and a long-term commitment to form professional esports clubs. These clubs will have stable league participation qualifications, similar to the club model of the NBA or football leagues. This will ensure the stability of the league and the long-term investment value of the clubs."
The capital representatives exchanged glances. This implied a substantial entry fee and long-term operating costs, but it also meant exclusivity and a stable exposure platform.
"Second, exploring a home and away system," Qin Feng continued to outline his blueprint. "In the future, we hope to break the model of all matches being concentrated in one place and try to let clubs have their own city home stadiums, with league matches taking place between different cities. This will greatly stimulate regional belonging, deepen the integration of esports with urban culture, and expand offline business scenarios and the fan economy."
A flicker of interest appeared in Ms. Li's eyes. This was very attractive for brand localization marketing.
"Third, a comprehensive youth training and player protection system," Qin Feng's voice carried a sense of responsibility. "We will establish officially led youth training camps and draft events to provide fresh blood to clubs. At the same time, we will formulate standardized player contracts, transfer systems, salary standards, and introduce professional training, psychological counseling, and retirement transition support, so that 'esports player' truly becomes a respected and secure profession, not just a fleeting youth career."
"Fourth, diversified commercial development." This was the part the capital was most concerned about. "In addition to traditional sponsorships and copyright sales, the league will uniformly operate club IP derivatives, media content, data services, etc. We will operate it like a traditional sports league, packaging star players, building club culture, telling esports stories, and uncovering its huge commercial potential."
Qin Feng's explanation was logically clear and grand in scope, not only considering commercial monetization but also balancing ecological health and sustainable development. What he described was not just a game league, but the embryo of a complete, modern sports industry.
A brief silence fell in the suite. The capital representatives were all digesting the information Qin Feng had presented. Below, a thunderous cheer erupted, and another match had concluded.
Mr. Wang gently tapped the table, breaking the silence first: "Mr. Qin, your blueprint is very forward-looking, and it also shows us the immense possibilities of esports industrialization. However…" He changed his tone, becoming cautious. "The operation of a professional sports league is far more complex than a successful event. It requires massive, continuous capital investment, a professional operational management team, and even more, the accumulation of time and culture. Currently, all of this is still built upon the lifecycle of league of legends, and risks still exist."
Ms. Li also subtly expressed: "We are very optimistic about this direction and recognize your vision and capabilities, Mr. Qin. However, for such a significant strategic investment, we need a more detailed business plan, more reliable data support, and… to see how this unprecedented National Tournament can conclude with a perfect ending."
Their meaning was clear: the blueprint is beautiful, but we still need to wait and see. See if the heat of the quarterfinals, semifinals, and even the final can be maintained or even reach new heights; see the final commercial returns (such as tickets, merchandise, live broadcast rights, etc.) data; and most importantly, see if this grand event can ultimately conclude successfully, perfectly verifying the feasibility of this model.
Qin Feng was not surprised by the capital's reaction; in fact, it was within his expectations. He knew that convincing conservative capital to fully embrace an emerging field required time and hard facts.
He raised his teacup, his expression still calm and confident: "I understand everyone's caution. Then, please, for now, be spectators and enjoy this final feast. I believe that when the champion is crowned at the Capital Gymnasium, when the golden rain falls for this epic event, all your doubts will find the best answers."
"At that time, we will sit down again and discuss in detail how to jointly usher in the… professional league era of Chinese esports."
The capital's scrutiny temporarily ended, and they refocused their attention on the arena below, only now, their eyes held less of a bystander's curiosity and more of a potential participant's consideration.
And Qin Feng knew that every upcoming match, not only concerned the players' glory but would also become his most important bargaining chip to persuade capital and leverage the era.