Team SoloMid have been eliminated from the League of Legends World Championship 2020 with an abysmal 0-6 record in the group stage, the first time a top seed has ever gone winless at the biggest event on the LoL esports calendar.
It’s been a poor showing from NA teams overall at Worlds, with Team Liquid also bowing out in groups. However, the TSM rivals had a much more respectable 3-3 record overall after their six group matches, compared to TSM’s 0-6.
While Team Liquid only narrowly missed out on a tie-breaker opportunity, after Suning beat G2, TSM were not even close, and it now begs the question, once again, where the LCS really stands in the scheme of great LoL regions.
After the loss that sealed their fate, TSM cited “a turbulent year and roster changes in the summer,” but remain proud of their LCS Spring Split victory.
TSM legend Bjergsen kept his reaction to the finish short and sweet, simply writing “embarrassing…”
With that loss, it ends our #Worlds2020 hopes. Although we fall short at the group stage, the team have done us proud this year.
After a turbulent year and roster changes in the summer, we put together an incredible LCS Summer Split win and we look ahead to 2021.
Thank you 🤍
— TSM (@TSM) October 10, 2020
Embarrassing…
— Bjergsen (@Bjergsen) October 10, 2020
Of course, their 0-6 finish has inevitably spawned a meme all on its own. The reaction on social media has been expectedly tongue-in-cheek.
European rivals G2 Esports were among the first to get in on the action, joking, “Crazy to think it’s been 3 years since TSM last played at Worlds.”
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Crazy to think it's been 3 years since TSM last played at Worlds
— G2 Esports (@G2esports) October 10, 2020
Fnatic, who are on course to top the group which TSM has been annihilated in, also got in on the action (albeit on their dedicated memes account).
Create history either way, @TSM pic.twitter.com/ZN0IfjKTVA
— FNATIC NATION (@alwaysfnatic) October 10, 2020
Analysts highlighted the history-making TSM have achieved, although certainly not how they would have liked to. It’s the first time a top seed has bowed out without a single win. As pointed out by Mark Zimmerman, the last time a top seed performed so poorly was Flash Wolves in 2017 – whose solitary win actually came against TSM.
This is the first time a Pool 1 seed and the #1 seed from a major region went 0-6.
The only other time it was close was 2017 Pool 1 Flash Wolves who went 1-5, picking up a single win against…
TSM.
— Mark Zimmerman (@TheeMarkZ) October 10, 2020
But, on a more serious not, it now begs the question of where the LCS stands for future Worlds events. The poor showing, not just from TSM but from other NA teams, could risk the league not receiving a top seed spot next year.
I don't think removing 3rd seed is an issue until NA actually fails in Play-Ins which has never happened. NA is still solidly above all emerging regions and solidly below the Top 3. If anything removing our first seed from Pool 1 would be the best change imo
— Clayton Raines (@CaptainFlowers) October 10, 2020
The discussion about the LCS’ viability as a top tier region will only be spurred on by this TSM exit, while some will argue that these were just freak results, and not indicative of the region’s quality as a whole.