Eefje ‘Sjokz’ Depoortere has shared on social media that the “abuse” received regarding the League of Legends co-streaming debate has gotten “out of hand.”
The post seemed to appeal for a cooling of the temperature surrounding the debate about co-streaming and its effects on the ecosystem, which has seen increasingly toxic online posts in recent days.
The Belgian broadcast legend reiterated her appreciation of popular co-streamer Marc ‘Caedrel’ Lamont before “My words are getting warped for things I did not say, and the abuse is getting a little out of hand.”
Adding, “If you’re looking for someone who has been dedicated for 15 years to trying to make any broadcast she is part of better and put the viewers first, I’m right here. I am not your enemy.”
Sjokz co-created and co-hosts The League Awards with Caedrel, an annual awards show that celebrates global League of Legends esports. So far, there have been two ceremonies, in 2024 and 2025.
What is the co-streaming controversy?
The debate surrounding how beneficial or detrimental co-streaming is to League of Legends or other esports has been a significant topic over the last few years as the trend continues to capture a larger portion of the viewership.
A report by Stream Hatchet shared that co-streaming had surpassed the official broadcast in viewership as of Q2 of 2025, drawing into question whether official broadcasts are under threat due to co-streaming or whether they were propped up by it.
The debate has once again been rekindled within the League of Legends community, but strangely did not even begin in LoL circles, but proliferated from new co-streaming rules enacted by ESL for their Counter-Strike and Dota 2 events.
Amongst other provisions, the rules demanded “Always-on Coverage.” This means that co-streamers of ESL events will be required to watch the entire product, not switch to anything other than the tournament, and make sure the broadcast can be heard at all times.
The rules received a mixed reaction from fans and streamers, with some praising the rules for maintaining the original broadcast, and some fans of co-streamers disliking the rules and saying it will impact viewership.
Sjokz was one of several broadcast talent to praise the new set of regulations, stating that the rules, “Should be the standard for ALL COSTREAMERS across esports imo. Watching the broadcast in full at the very least.”
That is a sentiment Sjokz reiterated in her recent post, stating, “I support and understand a broadcaster wanting their product shown.”
FlyQuest video further agitates co-streaming debate
That discourse was quickly followed by the release of a YouTube video entitled “Did Content Creators Bankrupt Esports” by FlyQuest in conjunction with YouTuber turndownforwalt, which discusses co-streaming as part of a promotion of FlyQuest’s content creators.
The video caused backlash from fans and content creators, such as Cloud9 coach and co-streamer Christian ‘IWDominate’ Rivera, who labelled the video “a steaming pile of dogs**t.”
Caedrel also attacked the video, claiming it was capitalizing on broader discussion about co-streamers for the org’s benefit, calling it “shameless” and “ragebait.”
The overall effect of the video was to raise an already heightened social media furore surrounding the debate over co-streaming and its effects on the industry, culminating in further ad hominem attacks on social media, ultimately leading to Sjokz’s statement.
While the debate continues to rumble on, it is really in Riot’s actions that we will see the economics of co-streaming truly play out. ESL has clearly made the decision that the official broadcast must be maintained and that advertising must not be obstructed. Will Riot make the same moves?
What are your views on co-streaming in the League of Legends space? You can discuss that on our Discord!
For other League news, see more about the high-flying Vitality roster.
Darragh is an Esports Journalist for Insider Gaming specialising in Counter-Strike. He loves to explore how esports teams work, or why they very often do not.
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