The League of Legends’ star-studded showdown, the Championship Series, adopted a new approach to determine side selection during the gaming events. The match organizers decided to use the age-old, globally trusted method - a simple coin toss.
They reasoned that it was the fair way to give either of the contesting teams an equal footing at the beginning of the game. The decision was then made that for the first game, the side selection would be identified by a toss of a coin.
The coin toss is not new in the sports world. It has been used in various sports, from football to cricket, to determine crucial matters like who gets the initial kickoff or who bats first.
The game organizers had hoped that this traditional method would add an exciting twist to the gaming contests and maintain impeccable fairness among the competing sides.
How the coin toss was executed was an exciting factor of its own. The senior official flipped a two-sided coin and depending on whether it landed heads or tails up, the winning side got to choose their preferred side for the game.
The first coin toss happened before the opening game of the season. The rules had been clearly stated before the event, and relatively respected by the competing teams.
Although different teams had distinct preferences, the outcome of the coin toss and the resultant side selection wasn’t seen as a game-changing move. The important thing was that it provided fairness at the launch of each game.
The coin toss, however, was only used for the first game of the competition to decide which team had preference for side selection. The succeeding games adopted a different approach - alternation.
The alternation method ensured a balanced distribution of side selection in the remaining games. This meant that the right to select a preferred side alternated between the teams irrespective of wins or losses.
For example, if the team A won the toss and chose a side for the first game, team B had the right to decide their side in the next game, then the right would go back to Team A for the third and so on.
The model was designed to uphold the spirit of equal opportunity and fairness in the tournament. It proved effective in making sure that no team had a continuous string of advantage during the course of the matches.
While the coin toss to determine side selection was a creative departure from traditional methods, it was well-received because it relied on pure chance and not the teams' existing advantages or feats.
The coin toss and alternation method provided a high degree of unpredictability which made the games more riveting. Each match started with neither team knowing which side they were going to pick until getting the outcome of the coin toss or the rotation.
Additionally, this approach added an element of suspense to the game proceedings. Every coin toss before a match brought with it the anticipation of who would choose which side, adding a freshness to every game.
It also brought the teams to an equal playing field from the beginning, as there was no way to exploit this system for a competitive edge. This ensured each toss was as important as the game itself in determining the eventual outcome.
The organizers looked to maintain an open, fair game wherein the power of the coin or the alternation method was not a manipulable or predictable factor in deciding the game’s outcome.
The idea was appreciated as a prudent and straightforward move by League of Legends’ organizers to ensure an exciting, balanced gaming experience. The many thousands of fans dug the added anticipation and suspense brought by this humble coin toss.
Everything from the anticipation built up to the toss, the flip of a coin, to the final call, brought the essence of righteous impartiality and raw excitement to the gaming space that players and spectators longed for.
Lastly, the coin toss approach along with the alternation system was a testimony to the fact that sometimes, simplicity coupled with a commitment towards fair play can do wonders in creating an exciting and engaging gaming environment.