A look back on the Ruddy Esports NLC finals watch party in London: Interviews with fans, DonJake & more from New Meta as Ruddy hope to organise ‘a massive rave’ for Worlds

Ruddy Esports NLC watch party at New Meta - photo by Callum 'Spongey Frog'
Earlier this month UK esports organisation Ruddy Esports hosted a League of Legends watch party at New Meta Gaming Arena in London.
Esports News UK editor Dom Sacco headed down to the arena to watch the NLC Division 1 finals (between fellow UK org Venomcrest and Ruddy themselves), asked guests what they thought of it, and spoke to DonJake about what’s next. (Pictures courtesy of Callum ‘Spongey Frog‘)

It was an all-UK battle in the finals and the Ruddy faithful had descended on North London like a band of rebel misfits ready to cheer on their side.

The atmosphere was somehow both relaxed and rowdy, with playful vibes, much like Ruddy’s style. And there was a competitive spirit underpinning it all.

There were plenty of recognisable faces from UK League of Legends in the house, from casters Jamada and Middlecott to UKEL observer CasualCutie, Brod n Friends owner The Governor, as well as many other friends of Ruddy. One person, Ruddy sub player Sebal, even flew all the way from Denmark to be there.

Ruddy co-owner DonJake regularly got some chants going (like “Lisan-Alix Gaib!” – a play on the Dune character and the name of Ruddy mid-laner Alix) and both praised and questioned his team’s decisions depending on how the match was going.

While Ruddy took Venomcrest to five games, it wasn’t to be, as they lost 3-2 in the grand final. But this didn’t dampen the vibes on the night.

In the days following the NLC finals watch party, both Venomcrest and Ruddy also had a good go in the EMEA Masters Summer 2024 tournament, but were ultimately knocked out after going 3-4 and 2-4 respectively.

We spoke to several people for their views on the event. But first, Mr Ruddy himself.

DonJake on IRL events, hoping to organise ‘a massive rave’ for Worlds London, season reflections and #ThriveByMoaning, while playing LoL with Jamada

ruddy donjake and harry
Ruddy co-owners DonJake and Harry Buckle (photo by Callum ‘Spongey Frog‘)
After the loss on the night, it seemed all too raw for Ruddy owner DonJake to provide comment. However, we caught up with Jake the other evening once the dust had settled to have a voice chat on Discord – while he was simultaneously duoing with caster Jamada in League of Legends.

“I think we’ve been massively committed to doing IRL events this year,” DonJake told Esports News UK, while discussing in-game strategies with Jamada.

“We think it’s super important to engage the community, especially because a lot of the [Ruddy] brand’s synthesis and cultural identity is tied to London, so it’s important to have that presence, physically.”

Split-pushing Jamada (playing as Nasus) adds to DonJake: “Brother, I am never joining these 5v5s.”

DonJake replies: “Push deep, push deep. I’m telling you man, I swear our Nautilus has a government grant…”

Back on topic, Jake continues: “So we did one event in spring, we did one this split, we wanted to do more but it’s difficult. A massive shoutout to the New Meta guys for making this so easy. They provided the venue pretty much for free, we just get people to come down and they probably make their money back from that. They’re obviously very dedicated to the community and see the bigger picture. We had 50 people that came down this time and it was a pretty decently sized event.

“It was also the first time someone travelled down from another country [to attend a Ruddy watch party], which was sick. My friend Sebal came all the way from Denmark to come and watch us play, which is what you dream of, people making that kind of Germany. He’s actually our sub jungler on the team. He travelled all the way and stayed in my spare room.

“It was sick to see so many different people come down from different parts of the UK, like the Ruddy lot from up North, and make the pilgrimage, as we call it.”

DonJake, Ruddy Esports

I ask another question.

“Sorry Dom, we’re locked in,” Jamada replies.

They’re sieging in the bot lane and are trying to take the enemy inhibitor. They focus. They take the inhib. They get out. Jamada has a smidgen of health left.

Jamada says something in Korean, and it sounds like Jake does too.

“I actually said something in Korean. Bro what did you say?” Jamada laughs.

DonJake responds: “I lived with LS for like three months bro, I know how to speak Korean now!”

E0ylWCQXoAMosbo 1
The Jamada and DonJake bromance is real – just check their bickering and banter on Twitter for proof (yes, this is an old picture of Jamada, but it’ll do)

DonJake gathers his thoughts again.

“The event was super wholesome,” he continues. “And my whole family was there, apart from my mum. My mum came to the last one, and my dad [aka DonGary] and two younger brothers were at this one, which was sick.”

Jamada interjects at this point, taking a small break from his Nasus split pushing, saying: “Tell Dom about the T-shirt your brother was wearing.”

“My 14-year-old brother rocked up with a Trapstar T-shirt with a picture of a half-naked woman with her arse out on the back of it.

“So cold. What a world we live in, man.”

I ask which elo I’m watching Jake and Jamada play.

It’s Emerald.

I say that’s the big leagues compared to my forever silver soul.

“It’s a different game down there, man,” Jake says. “It’s like the Sunday leagues. A lot of Premier League players couldn’t play in the Sunday leagues, it’s too physical a game!”

My wife calls me to ask a question about car insurance, breaking the interview again.

I apologise.

“It’s completely unacceptable, Dom,” Jake says.

I ask him about what’s next for Ruddy.

“I think this is the end of year one of the project, and for me the concern now is building long-term sustainable projects that actually increase development, rather than rebuilding every year and pissing money up the wall,” Jake admits.

“Our scouting process is designed to stretch money as far as possible, and the aim will be to retain talent and build from that. I think we had a good EMEA all things considered. We came to the finals twice, we should’ve won this time but it happens.

“Next year will be more of the same, we want to consistently cement ourselves as the best NLC org, and the team you associate with the NLC. And we’ll actually try and take the NLC Aurora Cup seriously this year.”

DonJake, Ruddy Esports

“Verdant won tje Aurora Cup last year, even though Verdant isn’t really a rival anymore, it’d be nice to take it from them.

“Then we’ll maybe have a few showmatches to run in the off-season, and I’m going to be doing some bits and bobs, you’ll see me at Worlds and doing some other things.

“I’m working already. I’m figuring out who we’re keeping and whatnot.”

Speaking of Verdant, I ask about the #ThriveByMoaning incident last year (a play on Verdant’s actual #ThriveByNature motto).

“Ever since [former Verdant LoL director] Froomie left, it seems that they’re thriving by not making it to playoffs,” DonJake says. “That seems to be the motto Verdant has nowadays. Froomie is my guy. ThriveByMoaning is so good.”

The conversation is diverting all over the place at this point, and Jamada and Jake are losing their solo queue match.

“By the way, we’re running into difficulty here,” Jake tells Jamada, trying to defend the base as Jamada continues split-pushing.

“Yeah I’m not gonna lie, you guys should’ve just not died,” Jamada replies.

“It’s easier said than done. Bro, I can’t stop them dying though, like.”

“Yeah but I also can’t TP in front of this guy.”

“You know what, none of these players are gonna make it in life,” Jake says. “They’re actually gonna fail. Everyone in this lobby bar me and Jamada are limited by who they are. There’s a limitation placed on them.

“Anyway, back to the interview.”

Worlds London
Worlds heads back to London this year, and Ruddy want to organise a rave alongside it

I ask about Worlds and what’s next for Ruddy.

“I’ll do content at Worlds for sure,” Jake says. “I lowkey want to do a massive rave, that would be sick, a big party. Because Riot ones aren’t particularly great, for industry people – even journalists don’t massively get invited to those kind of things. 

“Worlds is coming to London, in my back yard where I grew up, I’d love to do an event with a party kind of vibe, and DJs.

“But more physical events and watch parties for sure, next year.”

Venomcrest on beating Ruddy on the night

While this was a Ruddy-organised event, it’d be remiss of me not to let Venomcrest have their time in the small Esports News UK spotlight.

Jack ‘Ace’ Doe, Venomcrest’s owner, was the only one cheering as Ruddy’s nexus fell on the night.

Venomcrest owner Ace told Esports News UK afterwards: “In July 2021 when I was doing the initial brainstorming and design side for Venomcrest, I had to say to myself what the ultimate goal was – in that moment I said winning the NLC and laughed at the seemingly impossible nature of that task.

“But here I am three years later, watching Venomcrest win in the most dramatic fashion possible in the Grand finals of the NLC.

“It seems cringe to say, but legitimate dreams were achieved that night. On top of my own, to see these players and staff who have put in monumental amounts of effort in this split reach their goal of first place is so amazing to see.

“I’m truly grateful for everyone who has been part of the VNC journey since we started in Div 3 years ago and slowly worked our way up. Venomcrest is the accumulation of so many people’s amazing efforts and dreams and I have enjoyed helming this ship and meeting so many great people along the way.

“We will continue to push on and represent the NLC at EMEA Masters in a strong way, and after last night I am feeling confident going into the international tournament as first seed for our region!”

What did guests think of the Ruddy Esports watch party?

We asked a handful of people on the night for their views.

‘At 47 I’m older than everybody here – and I’m accepted’

Mynci, Ruddy fan

Ruddy Esports fan Mynci

It’s been good, it’s absolutely fantastic. Anything that gets fans together with meet-ups and gets them offline and gets them actually socialising has got to be good for esports.

You get to meet people, it gets them out of their rooms. I mean, I’m older than everybody here – I’m 47 – and I’m accepted in the community. It’s amazing what Jake and the Ruddy boys have done to get everyone together and hyped up for the NLC, getting some exposure and getting the fans interested.

It’s what UK esports needs at the moment. So win or lose, everyone is going to have a good time.

‘Real life events like this are important to foster the growth of the scene’

Pawp, jungler and record four-time LoL Insomnia winner with Cabbage Corp 

Spark and Pawp of Cabbage Corp
ADC Spark (left) and jungler Pawp (right) of Cabbage Corp

Honestly, I think we support the local League of Legends as much as we can. The UK scene has suffered a lot of losses in terms of tournament organisers coming in and out. I think what we need more of is the grassroots type of experience, where one person reaches out to a big organisation like New Meta and trying to get events going. 

We grew up in the golden age of NUEL, when it was extremely active, but towards the end of our time in the university scene, it was during covid and things died down – we didn’t get to meet up with real life events.

I think hosting these real life events is really important to foster the growth of the scene, and get more people involved, especially with the loss of Insomnia. There is a crapload of UK League of Legends players, and it’s about getting them involved and trying to grow the scene in a healthy way to make room for competition, like UKEL. The loss of UKLC was huge. With us not playing in the NUEL anymore as graduates, there’s not much for competitive League in the UK anymore. There’s UKEL, and we played in the last split, but now those opportunities have dwindled.

So I commend my former competitor DonJake [for doing events like this]. Having an event like this is a big opportunity for people to foster the scene, and I think getting more people together makes it more likely a local event exists.

‘It’s all about friends, energy and everyone coming together to have a good time’

Hannah Marie, events manager at New Meta and freelance contributor to Esports News UK

Hannah Marie at New Meta Gaming Arena

From the perspective of someone who works here and does a lot with events specifically here, watch parties are my favourite events to run because they’re so much more community focused, all about friends, and energy, and everyone coming together to have a good time and watch esports together.

The turnout has been amazing, there’s been good food and good chat, lovely drinks, and it’s lovely to welcome people to this space, because I love this space.

I spend a stupid amount of time in this space, so I love bringing friends down here because it’s special to me, I spend a lot of my life here.

‘Jake is a massive leader and has done brilliantly, driving the energy’

Samuel ‘Sammy Jungles’ Davies, Nativz Gaming Head of Social Media and Content

Sammy Jungles Nativz

I was part of the horrible place that is League Twitter for a very long time! But I’ve kind of been absent for about two years. I joined Nativz and put my full focus on that. 

In terms of this event, it’s brilliant whenever anything happens in London, I love it. Jake is obviously a massive leader for this event, he’s done brilliantly, driving the energy especially. 

It’s a very nice venue as well, I’ve been here a couple of times and this is definitely building upon the event with Lionscreed. 

‘Bring on more of these events, I’ll be there with the boys’

Top-laner James ‘Gov’ Gove (aka The Governor) from Brod n Friends

Brod Governor James Gove

I think it’s great that we’ve got some local UK LANs/watchalong events going on for UK esports. 

We have two UK orgs running in the NLC finals, which is fantastic to see considering the overwhelming amount of strong Nordic players. We haven’t got any UK players in the finals, but we can still support everything that’s going on here.

Hopefully Ruddy will end up winning it, we’re watching game five. 

So more things like this would be fantastic. Bring them on. I’ll be there, we’ll bring the boys here. 

And we absolutely will [be broddy for everything]. 

Related article: How UK LoL esports today is all about friendship, piss-taking and having a good time – opinion

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