The League of Legends EMEA Championship – a rebrand of the original Europe League Championship series (EULCS) – was introduced in the spring of 2019. Having made the original trophy, Thomas Lyte were proud to be handed the opportunity to handcraft a perpetual trophy befitting one of the world’s most popular and exciting online games.
Thomas Lyte, a Royal Warrant holder, as the silversmiths and goldsmiths to Her Majesty the Queen, and world-class custom trophy designers and makers, we’re proud to be the makers of the LEC Trophy, that is among the most prestigious crowns in esports.
Thomas Lyte has worked extensively in the hugely popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, League of Legends, producing a series of iconic trophies in partnership with its publisher, Riot Games. We are the makers of the Summoner’s Cup, the trophy that’s lifted by League of Legends world champions. It was with great pride that we were invited back to be part of the re-brand of the LEC (League of Legends EMEA Championship).
First awarded at the Ahoy Arena in the Dutch city of Rotterdam in April 2019, the LEC Trophy, handcrafted by Thomas Lyte, has already established itself as a symbol for the values that eSports embody.
The trophy was designed by the LEC’s chosen designers, DesignStudio, with Thomas Lyte’s master craftsmen on hand to help advise on how to turn a design into a 3D object in stunning silver. The inspiration for the trophy was the format of the tournament itself, with each of the ten teams represented by an individual column, which cascade in a spiralling motion until one rises to the top.
Painstakingly handcrafted in our London workshop, the trophy is a classic example of how timeless methods and the very latest in cutting-edge technology can work in harmony to produce exquisite silverware. Standing at one metre in height, this stunning trophy is made from a combination of copper, brass and sterling silver, the combination of metals reflecting the diversity that eSports itself embraces. Critical to the production of the trophy was the use of 3D printing, with the individual columns printed using a nylon core, before they were electroformed in copper and, finally, plated in silver.
Like any high-profile prize, the LEC Trophy is one that passes through many hands, both during the EMEA Championships and in the intervening period. As its restorers, Thomas Lyte is responsible for ensuring that any accumulated dents or scratches – big or small – are removed. It’s then left to our specialist polishers to use their decades of experience to leave the trophy looking as good today as it did when it was first signed off by our quality control team in 2019.
YOUR #LEC CHAMPIONS: @ROGUE! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/dBUJafdJjz
— LEC (@LEC) September 11, 2022
The LEC represents the highest level of League of Legends play in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and is one of the most keenly fought-for eSports titles anywhere in the world. Founded in 2013, the competition now regularly reaches live stream audiences in excess of 300,000 and attracts high-profile sponsors from a wide range of industries. Some individual matches have drawn 1.7m unique views on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch.
The tournament itself is split into two seasons, spring and summer, with each involving nine weeks of round-robin competition before a play-off involving the top six teams. The first tournament was won by London-based eSports giants, Fnatic.
Thomas Lyte is now synonymous with the blossoming esports industry. Alongside the LEC Trophy, our London-based workshop has also designed and made the League of Legends Summoner’s Cup; the FIFAe World Cup; the eChampions League trophy and the ePremier League trophy.
Our team make the conceivable possible, while preserving traditional skills, pioneering modern methods, and promoting authentic British craft across the globe. Combining the latest technologies with centuries of knowledge, Thomas Lyte’s silver workshops in London, England house world-class facilities for an elite team of designers and makers, masters of their craft. Learn about 3D printing, electroforming and other new technologies that our team have introduced to our sustainable handcrafting process.
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Materials. Base metal + Silver plate
Workshop Processes. 3D Printing, Electroforming, Filing, Sanding, Polishing, Plating, and Engraving
Thomas Lyte are proud to be the makers of the LEC Trophy.
Take a glance at these fast facts about one of the most coveted trophies in esports.
