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The LCK has recently announced three new systems to improve the league and create a more stable esports ecosystem. These new systems are the rookie development clause, LCK agent certification, and the pre-contract policy. The LCK revealed this information in a press conference on July 25th. Lee Jeong-hoon, LCK’s secretary general, has stated that these systems should “develop the LCK into a sport that multiple generations can enjoy” and “create a virtuous cycle in the esports ecosystem.”
Summer 2022South Korea, Seoul, LoL Park
Gen.G
T1
Liiv SandboxRookie Development Clause
The Rookie Development Clause’s primary purpose is to give incoming rookies guaranteed playing time in the LCK. The clause also gives teams an extended time to keep the players after their rookie season. Teams can use the Rookie Development Clause for players registered in an LCK first team for less than one year. Players who are under the Rookie Development Clause have an option to continue their contract with their original team for two years.
Teams that have players under this development clause are required to start that specific player for more than 50% of games in Challengers Korea (or 25% of games in the LCK). The player is entitled to a least a 20% salary increase per year after their rookie season. The organization is entitled to give the player additional incentives related to player performance, team accolades, or individual awards.
Agent Certification
As LoL Esports continues to grow and become a global sport, many players have already signed with specific agents or agencies related to player contracts. The LCK will be the first league to develop a system where agents will be required to become certified. The LCK has stated that they want players to associate themselves with qualified agents who understand the process of discussing player contracts and other aspects.
The LCK agent system will be a licensing system. Prospective agents will be required to go through a document examination, participate in and pass an education seminar, and pass a qualifying test to become an official LCK agent. An LCK agent certificate will be valid for two years. After two years, an agent must redo the validation process to earn the certification again.
Since the 2022 LCK season has already commenced, current agents will not need to pass a test to earn their certification. The certification will only last one year, and they will need to take a test to regain their title.
Pre-contract Policy
The third and final system implemented in the LCK is the pre-contract policy. Unlike the first two systems above, this last system will be implemented in the LCK off-season after the 2022 season.
The pre-contract policy is aimed at helping teams keep their star players during the off-season. During the off-season, an LCK team can designate one player to the pre-contract policy. One player can be designated up to two times. When the organization decides to use the pre-contract policy on one player and makes a contract offer to the player, they are required to inform the LCK and will be announced publicly.
After the public announcement, the player is free to talk to other organizations for six days and pick three candidate teams to move to. After selecting the three candidate teams, the pre-contract player will re-negotiate terms with their original team to decide whether the player wants to leave or not. If the player decides to depart the team, the new team will be required to pay the transfer fee for the departing player.
