The new teams were decided after a months-long application process that saw Immortals, Team Dignitas, Phoenix1 and Team EnVyUs ejected from the league ahead of the 2018 season. Team SoloMid, Team Liquid, Cloud9, Counter-Logic Gaming, Echo Fox and FlyQuest will remain in the NA LCS.
Teams participating in the 2018 season will have a mostly permanent spot in the league that cannot be lost through relegation. While Riot did not specifically state why these four teams' applications were rejected, Riot's co-head of esports, Jarred Kennedy, told theScore esports their choices were made to bring teams with a certain set of skills to the table.
...