The Global Revenue Pool (GRP) is the financial pillar that now structures the professional League of Legends ecosystem. Introduced by Riot Games in March 2024, this revenue-sharing mechanism has profoundly transformed how teams make a living in LoL esports.
With the late-2025 announcement modernizing the model for 2026 — notably the removal of regional prize pools in the major leagues — the GRP has become the key concept for understanding the economics of modern LoL Esports.
We explains what the GRP is, where it came from, how it works, and what changes in 2026.
What the GRP Is
The GRP is a global common pool funded by sales of digital content tied to LoL Esports (skins, emotes, event bundles, etc.), which is then redistributed to professional teams in the top-tier leagues according to three criteria:
- Presence in the league
- Competitive performance
- The ability to build a community of fans
Gone are the days of guaranteed revenue with no strings attached — every variable now influences both the individual and collective share.
Why Was the GRP Created?
An esports crisis in 2023–2024
To understand the arrival of the GRP, you have to place it in the context of recent years. The esports industry was going through a difficult period, commonly known as the "esports winter," which translated into a collapse in sponsorship, teams in financial trouble, and plummeting valuations.
The franchise model Riot had launched in 2018 (LCS, LEC, LCK) relied heavily on revenue from sponsors and advertising. But that revenue eroded, and a more stable income source was needed — one that would make clubs "stakeholders" in the process.
The VCT inspiration
Riot looked to its other major esports franchise, the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT), which had experimented with an innovative model: VCT Team Capsules, cosmetic bundles in each partner team's colors, whose proceeds are split 50/50 between Riot and the teams.
