r/leagueoflegends • u/EtoodE 2015 - LR 2025 • 1d ago
Esports Opinion: Player interviews between games and coach interviews during games feel out of place at Worlds
I mean, I like the attempt to get some interesting insights in the heat of the moment, but I really don’t think these interviews work when there’s still a series to be played. Especially at Worlds.
My issue isn’t with the players or interviewers. I just think the timing puts everyone in an awkward position, for very little benefit.
- They pull players away at a key moment. Players should be with their teammates and coaches, discussing the game that just ended and preparing for the next one. Some details are probably easier to talk through while they’re still fresh. Even if the interview is short, I don’t think it should take priority over that time with the team.
- They don’t bring much value. We rarely get particularly interesting questions or answers, and with good reason. Players literally just stood up, might still be celebrating, and haven’t had much time to process what happened. They also have more games to play against the same team, so there’s only so much they’ll want to share. It often just feels awkward for everyone involved.
- The format makes preparation difficult. Sometimes the interviewer seems prepared for a certain player, that player doesn’t want to be interviewed, and someone else has to fill in. I don’t blame either side, but it’s not surprising that we end up with fairly shallow questions and answers. It ends up feeling really unserious and counterproducrive for immersion about the competition.
- Coach interviews during the opening minutes feel even more awkward. You could see today how distracted some of the coaches were by what was happening in-game, while trying to answer without giving anything away. I’d rather let them watch the game and hear from them afterward.
I really think these interviews should be reconsidered. Save player interviews for after the series. If we’re going to have coach interviews between games, at least do them when they’re available and not trying to follow a game that’s already started. Maybe wait for players to get back to the stage? (might be worse, I don’t know).
I can see a strong argument for experimenting with this during regular splits. But during playoffs, international events, and especially Worlds, it feels like an unnecessary distraction. This is where I’d want the competition itself to take priority.
There’s also so much more you could do with that broadcast time. I’d much rather watch replays with a slower, more in-depth breakdown, highlighting plays or decisions we might have missed. Talk about how the drafts are changing throughout the series, which picks are working, and how the teams are adapting.
Especially at international events, there’s an opportunity to help us get to know teams and players from other regions—their styles, picks, personalities, and what makes them interesting to watch. That’s part of what I enjoy about co-streams: getting more context and analysis alongside the games.
I’m not against interviews. I just don’t think the middle of a Worlds series is the time for them. Let players stay with their teams, let coaches watch the game, and give us their thoughts once the series is over.
24
u/aeleriprince 17h ago
Don't like mid game interviews in any sport. Recently they added this to Spain's football league (La Liga) halftime and it has the same problems you just listed
125
u/matt-tteo 23h ago
I’m especially critical of interviews in the first minutes of the games. They remind me of the NBA broadcasters interviewing coaches at the start of quarters, which kind of puts the game in the background to hear some generic stuff and no meaningful informations, when I just want to watch the game.
82
u/Routine_Outcome3493 19h ago
Having Yamato in the interview and seeing his botlane running it down in the split screen was kinda funny tbh
55
u/jedine67 18h ago
It's so worth it honestly.
'Do you want me to comment on this?', mate that got me good.
25
u/No_Canary_657 22h ago
The games at the start are really slow. So, getting some interesting bits or sound bite during the first 3-4 minutes of the game when nothing is happening should be fine.
It also gives casters some material to fall back when the game is at a stand still as they cant constantly keep glazing or dissing teams/players.
46
u/TheTradu 21h ago
Except the Dom interview is a good example of how things do actually happen early. Half way through being interviewed he basically switched to casting the game because a play was happening bot. It was a super awkward transition back to the actual casters when the play was almost over.
13
13
u/bl00dysh0t 16h ago
same for the interview with yamato, xayah getting a 2v2 kill made that game extremely hard and you could see it from yamato's reaction.
19
u/Sparkspree 8h ago
Watching my first match this Worlds, game 5 C9 - KC, and action kicks off in bot lane, and C9 gets first blood, but the announcers have to be quiet because the coach is being interviewed. Seemed like such a weird time for that. Just sitting there watching it happen, devoid of any commentary or emotion, given the context of the events
295
u/Last_Scallion2481 1d ago
All sports have started doing this and it's annoying no matter what. It cheapens the experience and makes it seem like they are just there to entertain you rather than compete.
Before some smartass jumps in, I know the product is entertainment, I just don't think players or coaches should be part of that. They should be 100% focussed on winning.
200
u/somewhatlikeawhisper 1d ago
I want the coaches to answer like they do in sports.
"alright you're down 0-2 what do you think you need to do to reverse sweep?"
"well I told the team we're going to have to communicate better, die less, and get more kills"
"thanks coach good luck out there"
23
u/Ophelia_Of_The_Abyss IN DAMWON WE TRUST HUNI/DEFT/SHOWMAKER 23h ago
Needed jojopyun to channel his inner Allen Iverson when that "late to practice" report dropped
32
u/GroundbreakingAlps2 21h ago
Yes. Pretty much all esport interviews are dogshit, and theyd be better off without them. Having even more interviews and putting them between games is absolute insanity. OP is 100% right.
8
20
20
9
u/Exciting-Shame2238 21h ago
It pulls you right out of the competitive headspace, feels like a halftime show at a funeral
5
u/XxsteakiixX 15h ago
okay glad im not the only one that caught onto this. I hate how everything needs be a product. Lol like yesterday it was pretty funny seeing the Brewers down 4-0 and then a fox commentator goes to interview him during an inning asking how he feels lol
there is a reason the brewers manager is their manager haha the self control to not call that dude a dumbass must have been incredible lol
and also to make it even sweeter brewers ended up coming back and winning 6-4
are dodgers the new C9? lol jk
-1
u/HorrorAge2923 1d ago
Like at half time? Havent seen it in soccer thankfully
2
u/Last_Scallion2481 22h ago
Did you not watch the World Cup?
-1
u/HorrorAge2923 22h ago
I did, but i never noticed, thanks
3
u/Last_Scallion2481 22h ago
They had an interview with the England coach every half time. You could tell he didn't want to be there at all and practically ran away as soon as the questions were over.
-3
u/suspectable-buggy 19h ago
those quick interviews are meant for banter. But in esport culture where everything is deemed to be toxic behaviour it really serves the wrong purpose.
59
1d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
33
u/_carzard_ 1d ago
In the NBA, it happens a lot where they are interviewing the coach at the beginning of the third-quarter while the game is going on. Not saying that’s a reason for them to do it, I think it’s stupid in the NBA as well.
2
-5
1d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
7
u/Liupardu 23h ago
In baseball the booth calls the dugout mid game, which may be a little more comparable than basketball since the manager isn’t drawing up plays all the time mid game in baseball.
2
u/Sithsponge 22h ago
I don't know if they still do, but a couple years ago the MLB would literally do interviews with mic'd up players while the game was being played.
13
u/Offtheheazy 22h ago
I mean I'm the MLB they trialed this thing where they micd up players (usually outfielders) and literally interviewed them live during gameplay
2
2
u/dementedgamer44 8h ago
Makes sense. Baseballers can be out there podcasting without missing anything.
18
18
10
u/NexXuS- 18h ago
They're so bad. It was bad enough watching them on the LCS broadcast, but I figured there's be no way they'd actually do them at worlds and yet here we are. Stopping a player after a game to ask them one or two dumb questions is just a waste of time. Just let the players get back with the rest of their team so they can prepare for the next game. Imagine when we get to quarters and they still do this crap and need translators, now it takes twice as long
41
3
u/Defarus 13h ago
It feels out of place because it is. They are intentionally pulling individuals away from their team after what is often one of the biggest stake matches of their season.
They started doing the same thing almost across the board for eSports. Just ways they're trying to keep viewers on the platform between and after games. The post game shit some TO's are doing is no better. At least ESL gets funny skits out of it.
25
11
u/YBL10MD 21h ago edited 11h ago
I actually dislike these interviews. Players after game ones w/e I can skip those, but I hate when they are interviewing coaches when I am trying to fucking watch the game and they are yapping about some nonsense when there is action going on. Not to mention, the coach is trying to watch too, so he is saying some nonsense or flat out stops talking to see what's going on. Also for some reason, they added a cam for the interview so I have to have watch them yapping nonsense and blocking my view
14
u/Ajp_iii 15h ago
It’s the best part of the broadcast sometimes it’s pointless but a lot of times brings great insight into the game at hand and gives personality and perspective to the team. I don’t know why fans keep hating on it when it’s only 30 seconds
0
u/faithfulswine 14h ago
Because sometimes stuff is going on in game that I want to focus on. It feels cringe when a bot 2v2 happens and the dumb microphone is in the coaches face when both he and us are trying to see what's going on.
I wouldn't mind it as much if they cut it if something happens.
0
u/blueooze 8h ago
I hate it because most of them I've seen it seems like the person being interviewed does not want to be there at all. You can see the gears turning in their head as they are analyzing the current state of the game, because they are the coach and that takes a lot of brain power. As a result the responses to the interviewer come off as distracted "uhh... huh what? Oh yeah, we are going to try to win the game" and nothing more
-3
u/EtoodE 2015 - LR 2025 13h ago
It's a lot less about the time wasted for me tbh. For player interviews at least, the timing feels awkward and forced, personally I value the competitive integrity more. I don't know if there is a better moment in between games, just not right after an end.
Also I'm fine with it during a regular season, but for Worlds it feels out of place. You wouldn't expect an interview to Faker in between game 4 and 5 of a worlds finals would you? I expect the same respect to be given for the whole competition / teams, even if it's Play Ins and a #3 team is playing, it would help make the whole event feel different, more serious, higher stakes.
2
2
u/NNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 17h ago
I think player interviews are a mistake as well, holding back a player for an interview instead of letting them join the postmortem is somewhat against competitive integrity.
Coach insights are good however, they provide a ton of info about how teams draft and feel about matchups in lane, and I think not having the commentators for the occasional kill is acceptable for this exchange.
4
u/Kazemitra 9h ago
I don't mind the interviews, especially with more well-spoken coaches like Yamato, but I don't understand people in this thread saying that they can't focus on the game and it ruins their immersion while at the same time they probably watch costreamers babbling over the official cast as well
2
u/Cauchy_Riemann 7h ago edited 7h ago
Caedrel IS immersion tho. And rekkles is quiet af
But I hate it too. Specifically the coach interviews. Weird time to interview someone.
9
u/No_Canary_657 22h ago
This feels like a repost. I dont mind these interviews tbh. As it feels like the fans get to connect with players and the team a bit more. It's also nice to get players in the heat of the moment (as the match hasn't been decided yet).
And as it has been stated multiple times, players and teams get to refuse the interviews if they dont feel like doing it. Which is much better than forced obligations.
4
u/GlassAinur 16h ago
Just putting my 2 cents so something might change. I also hate this. They are cringy and worthless. I will even mute the stream for in game or in between game interviews. I hate it for traditional sports as well. Give me more team fight breakdowns and less interviews.
3
u/BlazedDrag0n 22h ago
Agree. The answers are so bland, which is to be honest fair enough. But give me replays or analysis or crowd-stuff. Don't make me go "yea no sht"
2
u/Emotional_Patient157 22h ago
just do it like how we used to and how LCK and LPL do it. Also give players longer break or longer draft time in bo5 so they can have better game plan, better draft, higher quality games
1
u/Imaginary_Papaya_803 14h ago
For coaches it seems fine to me since they take a full passive roll ingame in lol as opposed to other sports
1
u/TheMapleDescent Kunai Queen 10h ago
Pulling the players mid series does feel weird. I like coach interviews though. In any sport. Not every one is going to be interesting but some coaches will be better than others at the interviews and the ones that are make for really interesting and insightful comments.
1
1
u/Frodolas 4h ago
The coach interviews at the beginning of a game are great and have been very exciting today given how often first blood happens during them. They also don't take away any time from the coach to have with his team.
I agree with you on the player interviews between games though, that is time that is actually being taken away from the player for very little benefit to viewers. I think Riot should specifically end these but not the coach interviews.
1
u/Archaius_ 4h ago
i really enjoy the interviews.
They are quick and give some interesting insights into what the actual teams are thinking
•
u/ByeGuysSry 1h ago
I don't really like it either but I think it's healthy to have coach interviews. We don't really get to see the coaches much, nor get to hear them talk, except sometimes after the series; but by then the series has already concluded
1
1
u/J0eykarate 14h ago
I actually like it for the coaches, but it definitely seems off for the players IMO.
-1
u/worldchrisis 1d ago
This is an LCS thing. The playins are being held at the LCS studio with the LCS production crew. It will probably be different in the later stages of the tournament.
28
2
u/LumiRhino 13h ago
I’m fairly certain LEC was doing it before LCS even. I only remember LCS doing that this split while LEC has been doing it since last year.
3
u/Game_Theory_Master OK 23h ago
If I was a player and they tried to stop me between games I'd just keep walking.
15
u/worldchrisis 22h ago
I suspect the players have some contractual obligation to do interviews.
6
-1
u/Game_Theory_Master OK 22h ago
Including if they need to go to the restroom? LOL
1
u/worldchrisis 13h ago
I'm sure if a player said they needed to use the restroom the production staff would understand and just ask to interview someone else.
-9
u/ltwj 21h ago
So they need to use restroom each time? Dumb ahh logic
6
u/KotreI 19h ago
You can say ass.
0
u/Game_Theory_Master OK 18h ago
Or he could say something of value
-2
u/ltwj 18h ago
explain how providing an exception is relevant to "the contractual obligation to do interviews." regardless, it doesn't even make sense as they could also use it afterwards. lmao
1
u/Game_Theory_Master OK 4h ago
I put it out there jokingly (see LLO part?) that they could do something to get out of giving an interview if they wanted to. You calling out a JOKE as dumb logic - damn you are a real midwit.
0
1
u/DerAdolfin :kossg: :eum5: 16h ago
All 5 players just say they had too many redbullsTM and need to pee, ggez no time wasted on the interview
-1
u/slumdo6 Never Goon 21h ago
Don't see how this is such a controversial topic. Just watch the 30 second interview and move on.
9
u/Kagariii salty runback 19h ago
People are allowed to voice their opinion. In like half the games yesterday they missed first blood for this meaningless 'we got our picks and feel confident' talk we get to hear from the coach every single time. It probably also feels bad for the casters to lose that important moment
0
u/trying2hide 18h ago
Works both ways. I don't see why they're doing this. Just don't do the 30 seconds interview and move on.
-1
0
u/Nachts25 21h ago
I unironically muted the stream and held my hand over the interview part of the screen to not be distracted from the game
0
u/lTheElementalFlowl 21h ago
Agreed, it's a bit annoying that they started doing this and the meme sketches inbetween.
-9
u/MoneyTruth9364 1d ago
this always happens in LCS, is this your first time noticing?
7
u/EtoodE 2015 - LR 2025 1d ago
I believe I've seen it before. I watch mostly LEC and LCK tho.
At Worlds context/stakes it just stuck out like a sore thumb, especially coach interviews in game.
8
-7
u/MoneyTruth9364 1d ago
No. This happens regularly in LCS at regular season. I'm just shocked people just noticed it now.
3
u/Game_Theory_Master OK 23h ago
bc no one watches LCS and they are watching play-ins
0
u/MoneyTruth9364 23h ago
just know I didn't disagree with the op. I'm just shocked it took this long for people to notice.
1
3
-3
21h ago
[deleted]
5
u/Isinmyvain 19h ago
This person wrote a negative opinion they have and you’re calling it whining? lmfao. They even go on to explain their issues in detail and with nuanced understandings of the situation and environment… how else is someone supposed to communicate criticism?
0
u/JadeStarr776 9h ago
You want league to be appreciated by normies then you keep this. Seems standard in any sport.
0
u/Appropriate_Donut590 8h ago
I don’t think they’re out of place, that doesn’t make much sense, but they do run FAR too long and happen at terrible times for some reason. They could EASILY schedule a single question after a reset timer or after an objective, never past 10 minutes, and not when people are posturing.
There is a general knowledge of when things will happen for professional spectators, they know when plays are about to happen, when lanes are volatile. It would not be complicated at all to do them at better times. Secondarily, nobody would care if it gets cut off for a fight. Casters will interrupt their conversations all the time for surprise engages or bug fights, just do the same with whatever interview youre having. Just overlay the remainder of the answer after the fight is done.
-14
-1
u/-Elias-- 20h ago
Real awkward thing is games being 25 minute and breaks inbetween being 35, is there any other sport or e sport that takes longer breaks than its sets just to drag broadcast this much for ad revenue.
790
u/Opposite-Complex1187 1d ago
>. I’d much rather watch replays with a slower, more in-depth breakdown
People say this, but from what broadcasters have said before, not just in league but in other Esports/Sports as well is that most people tune out during those bits.
A few people really like them, but most people don't.