LCS announces bizarre tech pause partner segment amid Riot layoffs

The LCS have announced a new partner in Pagoda Snacks, and they’ve introduced a number of broadcast segments related to the partnership like the “Let Him Cook” segment for highlight plays and the “Put the Egg Rolls In” segment for technical pauses.

The LCS has gone through a lot of transition over the past few months between MarkZ being brought on as the LCS commissioner, various scheduling changes, and two teams bowing out of the league entirely.

Additionally, several LCS staff were affected by the recent Riot layoffs, leading in part to a number of tech pauses that affected the broadcast. Ideally, tech pauses shouldn’t ever happen on the broadcast, but several members of the teams meant to stave off these issues in both the LEC and LCS have been laid off.

This is a move from Riot that has left the community reeling, but that wound has only been salted by the LCS’ newest partner, Pagoda Snacks, having a segment specifically built around tech pauses.

LCS introduce “Put the Egg Rolls in the Oven” segment

Filling time during pauses is a difficult undertaking for casters and general broadcast talent. Anything from small peripheral issues and spilled drinks to game-breaking bugs can hold up the broadcast for anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more.

Finding ways to keep viewers glued to their screens through lengthy pauses isn’t exactly easy, and there have only been more pauses with tech issues since the LCS team was slimmed down.

This means that there will be a lot more of the newest LCS sponsor, Pagoda Snacks, on the broadcast.

Two segments are included in this partnership: The, “Let Him Cook” segment that highlights some of the best moments, and the “Put the Egg Rolls In” tech pause that encourages players to step away from the screen and toss some Pagoda Snacks in the oven.

This partnership was leaked by MarkZ the day prior but without any context as to how it’d affect the broadcast.

While the LCS continuing to get partnership deals and cash flow is undoubtedly good for the league, it’s hard to imagine implementing a sponsored tech pause segment after laying off the people whose job it is to prevent those tech issues from going over well.