For practically a decade, the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) has stood as considered one of esports’ most recognisable and character-driven broadcasts.
Behind the screens lies a manufacturing staff that ensures each second feels bigger than life. But, it’s the casters who flip these moments into tales. Their voices form how followers expertise each play, each upset and each defining second of League of Legends esports.
Amongst these voices, Andrew ‘Vedius’ Day and Daniel Drakos have grow to be emblematic of the LEC’s signature mix of depth and character. Since becoming a member of the published in 2016, they’ve performed greater than name the motion. By skits, musical performances and a self-aware sense of humour, the duo helped rework the LEC right into a broadcast referred to as a lot for its creativity as for its competitors.
In an interview with Esports Insider, Drakos and Vedius mentioned what it means to be a caster. How they strategy storytelling, handle fan expectations and keep authenticity whereas acting at a few of the greatest levels in esports.
Altering LEC Storytelling
The LEC just lately celebrated its tenth Summer time Closing, and over time, shifting rosters, new organisations and steadiness modifications have repeatedly reshaped the aggressive panorama. By all of it, casters like Drakos and Vedius have needed to adapt their storytelling to match the ever-changing rhythm of European League of Legends.
When the duo joined the published staff, the league was in a state of flux. Fnatic, the area’s long-standing powerhouse, had begun to falter after years of dominance, and the stage was set for a brand new chapter in Europe’s aggressive historical past.
“We got here in sort of proper as Fnatic collapsed in 2016,” Drakos recalled. “It wasn’t instantly clear to individuals who was going to stand up.”
Nevertheless, it quickly turned clear that the crown can be handed to G2 Esports — a staff that received each that 12 months’s EU LCS Spring and Summer time splits. In the end, G2 would go on to outline the area’s subsequent period.
That transition formed a lot of the last decade that adopted. “The unhappy factor about our league,” stated Vedius, “is it’s simply been very centred round G2.” It’s vital to notice that his remark wasn’t considered one of criticism, however slightly of artistic frustration.
For storytellers, having a single dominant staff means fewer narrative branches to discover. “I’ve at all times been envious of how the LPL has had a number of completely different champions,” Vedius continued. “Dominance brings recognition, however selection creates richer tales and a extra numerous fanbase.”
Drakos agreed and acknowledged that defeating G2 turned the baseline for each story — a staff that hunts each narrative.
“You’ll like to say that when BDS beats MAD Lions [now KOI] or one thing like that, they’re the entrance runners,” he stated. “However there’s at all times G2. It acquired to the purpose the place it’s annoying,” Drakos admitted. “As a result of we all know folks get uninterested in listening to it.”
Even so, each casters consider the aggressive panorama is broadening once more. The 2025 season, Drakos stated, supplied a glimpse of renewed parity on the prime. Even with G2 nonetheless profitable the LEC Summer time Cut up and going to League of Legends Worlds 2025, the caster is “way more optimistic” that subsequent 12 months the LEC rankings might be shaken up for its prime groups.
Drakos acknowledged that the league’s decrease half was nonetheless “a sizzling mess,” however the general area reminded him of the balanced years of 2021–2022, when MAD Lions, Rogue, Fnatic, and G2 all shared the highlight.
Misconceptions of Casting Esports
Whereas storytelling is central to casting, each Vedius and Drakos said that their function is commonly misunderstood. Many followers, for example, assume casters present favouritism due to sure calls earlier than or in the course of the matches they touch upon.
“The primary factor that at all times will get me upset is bias,” stated Drakos. “I feel it’s actually uncommon {that a} caster ever carries any greater than a small quantity of unconscious bias.”
Vedius agreed, however added nuance as each caster, he stated, inevitably has regional delight. “I’ve EU bias, however I don’t draw back from that at worldwide competitors,” he stated. “I do need EU groups to win.”
That stated, professionalism and objectivity at all times come first. As Drakos defined with amusing, even in a matchup like G2 versus Gen.G — when it’s clear “they’re set as much as get blasted” — he makes positive that private pleasure doesn’t slip into the published. Irrespective of how a lot he could be rooting for European groups off-camera, as soon as the solid begins, accuracy and respect for each side take precedence.
One other false impression, Vedius highlighted, is that LEC casters pay solely consideration to their very own league, when in actuality the worldwide broadcast group is deeply collaborative. “As a result of I’ve such a fantastic working relationship with [other casters], I make a deliberate effort to speak, speak to them and perceive what are a few of the most vital tales,” he stated. “On the finish of the day, what we care about is that the professionals are finest represented.”
Vedius stated that accuracy and respect are central to their strategy. The aim is to symbolize gamers faithfully and hold them “on the forefront of all the things.”
Casters, in his view, are there to focus on the competitors — not themselves.
Are Casters Entertainers or Educators?
Past preparation and storytelling, one of many questions that always defines a caster’s philosophy is whether or not they consider their function is to tell or to entertain.
On dwell broadcasts, casters must steadiness emotion with readability, protecting followers engaged with out shedding sight of the sport itself. It’s a relentless inside negotiation between efficiency and rationalization, one which each Drakos and Vedius strategy from barely completely different angles because of the nature of their respective roles.
For Drakos, the reply begins with viewers connection. “Your job, initially, is to be an entertainer,” he stated. “However the present isn’t about you — it’s concerning the recreation, the competitors, and the story of those gamers.”
In his view, the competitors already gives all the fabric a caster wants, from the story itself to the attainable angles from which it might be explored. “If you’re not entertaining when you’re telling the story of Faker,” he added, “you’re messing up — as a result of that story is insanely entertaining.”
Alternatively, Vedius has and must strategy his job by means of completely different lenses. “As a color caster, my accountability is to tell the viewer of what’s taking place,” he stated.
“So long as you, as a viewer, understood what simply occurred, then I’ve performed my job.” Nevertheless, he underlines the excellence between educating and instructing. Casters don’t want to interrupt down each mechanic, however they need to make sure the viewers understands the context and significance of every play.
Even with these variations, each agree that one of the best steadiness is a mix of showmanship, experience and empathy, with the aim of creating each second really feel vital, whatever the viewer’s familiarity with the sport.
Evaluating League of Legends to different esports, Drakos famous that, in contrast to FPS video games — resembling VALORANT — League’s complexity requires casters to supply context and information the viewers by means of pivotal moments. It’s about making certain that each match, regardless of how technical, feels significant and interesting even for newcomers.
“We don’t get requested quite a bit concerning the philosophy of casting,” Drakos continued. “However once we do, it’s clear that each of us see our work as one thing deeper than commentary. It’s storytelling in its most quick type — dwell, unscripted, and shared.”
Whether or not it’s a veteran’s long-awaited redemption, an underdog’s breakthrough, or the depth of a grand remaining, the casters’ aim is to make each second matter.
After practically a decade collectively on the LEC stage, Drakos and Vedius have watched the league evolve from predictable rivalries right into a extra emotionally wealthy and aggressive ecosystem. But the methods they may proceed to form League of Legends’ esports narrative will proceed to evolve.
