Pro League finals changes announced

15-9-2016 19:00

ESL has announced changes to the format of the its Pro League finals, starting with the upcoming event in Brazil.

From October 26-30, ESL will host in São Paulo the offline finals of the fourth iteration of the Pro League, with the first two days behind played behind closed doors, while the last three days will be played in front of a live audience at the Ginásio do Ibirapuera indoor sports arena.

The new format, which was decided by the WESA Player Council, sees the number of teams increased from eight to 12, with both regions qualifying six sides for the event.

Pro League finals expanded to 12 teams

The tournament will begin with a best-of-one round robin group stage, followed by a single-elimination, best-of-three bracket. Both group winners will go straight to the semi-finals, while the second and third-placed sides will play in the quarter-finals.

"The initial plan for a LAN-final with 8 teams felt out-dated," said Viktor "vuggo" Jendeby, the chairman of the WESA Player Council.

"The scene is now more competitive than ever, and so it feels natural to extend a tournament of this caliber to enable more teams to attend the finals.

"We also suggested more guaranteed LAN-matches for the teams attending, and proposed a format with 2 groups of 6 - like it is used at IEM events.

"ESL listened and we, the WESA Player Council, are very happy with how the new format looks like, and I hope the community will appreciate it as well."

Below you can find a provisional schedule for the event:

Wednesday, October 26th
15:30	Group A matches #1 to #5	BO1
22:00	Group B matches #1 to #5	BO1

Thursday, October 27th
15:30	Group A matches #6 to #9	BO3
20:45	Group B matches #6 to #9	BO3

Friday, October 28th
15:30	Group A matches #10 to #15	BO3
22:00	Group B matches #10 to #15	BO3

Saturday, October 29th
15:30	Best-of-three match (TBA)	BO3
20:00	Quarter-final #1	BO3
23:30	Quarter-final #2	BO3

Sunday, October 30th
15:30	Semi-final #1	BO3
20:00	Semi-final #2	BO3
23:30	Grand final	BO3

2016-09-15 19:00

4 replies

Please refrain from hunting for first comment and focus instead on reading the news. Irrelevant and offtopic comments will be deleted. This behaviour is not welcome and will be severely moderated.

2016-09-16 08:36

3 replies

not gonna lie, im sensing some butthurt

2016-09-16 19:27

2 replies

In truth, I am doing my job to avoid this kind of behaviour which is pretty annoying.

2016-09-17 03:09

1 reply

oh thats ok then thank you for doing that

2016-09-17 07:53

ez for allugator

I have my AWP Pit Viper name Allugator hahahahaha.

2016-09-15 19:13

rofl

2016-09-15 20:35

Not sure if this makes it more or less stupid that NA gets as many spots as EU. Feel like it would make more sense with 7/5 Nice format change though. This changes the game with teams' ability to qualify.

2016-09-15 19:01

10 replies

It's more about opportunits, i guess. The teams It's more about opportunity, i guess. The teams that benefit by this new format in NA are worse than other teams in EU, that's obvious. But yet, somo teams in NA don't get much chances to play in a tournament this big so often. So, thinking about trying to make the scene stronger and compete head to head with EU, get 6/6 teams each makes sense.

2016-09-15 19:22

Yeah, if na gets more experience playing in lans against eu teams, the na scene can benefit.

2016-09-15 19:49

The team who benefits the most from this in "NA" is a brazilian team, who are playing like shit in ESL. Maybe you've heard of them? This change is obviously just to guarantee we get SK at a big LAN in Brazil, since they couldn't guarantee that themselves. The 6/6 is just to make it look fair, and it doesn't hurt that this gives VP a shot as well.

2016-09-15 21:47

are u high? havent played half of the matcheus they are supposed to play lol they can easily make top 4

2016-09-18 06:47

yeah i agree, some NA teams don't get chance to play in some international LANs, but some EU deserve those spots cause they simply are better

2016-09-16 00:07

Well NA has now SA and Australian teams as part of it. Maybe if they somehow got the Chinese in there as well it would be more fair.

2016-09-15 20:33

Yea the NA teams can be respectable if all the best teams qualify, at ECS both the last place teams were EU. NA gets even worse if you go into the lower levels though, like how at least Liquid, Cloud9, OpTic are respectable teams that can win against EU but there's a chance a shit team like echo fox could get through just because they're good against other NA. Anyway, I hope SK, IMT, Cloud9, OpTic, Liquid, and Renegades qualify for the best six teams from NA, and then it will be pretty good. Obviously supplementing with the best teams from other regions has made the general skill level of NA pro league a lot better than it would be.

2016-09-15 21:51

They certainly will put 3 NA + 3 EU per group. So if EU > NA, this gonna be easy for EU get out of groups.

2016-09-15 20:59

We'll almost definitely see SK pass and it's likely NA teams can pull some upsets, they always seem to get at least a couple in these tournaments, I just feel like it would be better if all the best EU teams are definitely gonna be there.

money and sponsorship mu friend.

2016-09-15 21:02

LOL

expected from imt

LEGO

wtf, just change it during a league nice one

What's the problem?

2016-09-15 19:09

Its funny as many of the WESA members were close to not making it. Now they changed it during the time of the league. Its as bad as the adjustments that were made for V.p to remain in EPL

2016-09-15 21:32

They announced that they will make some changes for the final already before the season started

2016-09-17 11:43

I didnt know that. Well still, why do they do it in mid of the league... still kinda stupid that now when many of the top teams have troubles making it to the top four they have an easier chance.

2016-09-17 15:30

yes

SK vs Navi

Wesa is the devil!!!1

thx god, low amount of teams tournament are so boring.

nice

2016-09-15 19:02

Good change

good change

Whyy 6 spots for NA, LMAOOO

Nice to finally know the schedule.

Round robin = each team meet every other one ? If yes, it's damn good, they used it at Katowice 2016 and it was very good

2016-09-15 19:16

Should be 8 EU 4NA. But then it'll be THERE ARE ONLY 8 EU CUZ WESA IS EU

2016-09-15 19:05

SK vs Na'Vi/G2 grand final

2016-09-15 19:06

SK vs Na'Vi would be a sick final. I'm hyped for that m8

2016-09-15 20:03

Finally more spot EU deserves but NA.......

2016-09-15 19:08

ez for mouz

Mouz finally has a chance lol

2016-09-15 19:11

Mouz are top 4 already and have played almost all of the best teams, really high chance they would've made it anyway. Good change though

2016-09-16 00:02

good change!

really different! We want see if it is better!

Omg so dumb Esl finals should be cream of the crop top 8 not 8 plus 4 shit teams

2016-09-15 19:23

so you say #8 is a TOP111111einseinsdrölf-team and #9 is silver? lmao.... seems legit 5/7

2016-09-15 20:25

4 NA teams qualify so we were always going to have at least 3 shit teams. At least this way we get 2 more EU teams there.

2016-09-15 20:27

Excited for the new changes!

2016-09-15 19:25

so it means that even last team in table can qualify for lan finals or what xD

2016-09-15 19:28

Very good! All right. I won't go to work on friday to travel and see.... and now I won't go to work monday morning cause I've drove 4 hours in sunday night. Ok, it's time to tell it to my boss, I guess

2016-09-15 19:34

I like it. Makes more teams get exposure, more viewers for their sponsors, it's always better for the scene.

ZIKA incoming! Kappa

2016-09-15 19:39

ez navi

2016-09-15 19:40

so.... SK = VP now both teams got their chance by edited rules

2016-09-15 19:44

SK will qualify in top 4 anyway ...

2016-09-15 20:06

6 EU 4 NA 2 SA my dream .-.

2016-09-15 19:47

Would be nice to see Tyloo too, but there is no chance for this to happen. =/

2016-09-15 22:30

5 EU 4 NA 2 SA 1 AS Or 6 EU 4 NA 1 SA 1 AS imo

2016-09-16 00:04

6 NA hahahaha what the fuck tier 2 tournament

2016-09-15 19:57

So 6 teams from NA and 6 teams from EU?

now I'm totally looking forward to this... gonna be like extreme masters

2016-09-15 20:11

It looked really good! But for us in Europe many will miss the final... "23:30 Grand final" that is 11:30 pm on a sunday, thats not a good time for a final... XD

2016-09-15 20:13

its wierd indeed, even for brazilians lol

2016-09-18 06:45

5NA 5EU +G3X +BigGODS

2016-09-15 20:14

2016-09-15 20:22

G3X not playing the season 23 of ESEA.

6 NA teams? thats too much

Maybe move it from Brazil? Chances are half of the players will be robbed, bashed, murdered. Why even put yourself in that position?

2016-09-15 20:26

Weird......

2016-09-15 20:36

ESL can't take the risk of SK not able to playing, and due to the bad start from SK, thats normal that they are setting 6 teams instead of 4.

2016-09-15 20:37

Now SK has a chance to qualify Kappa

2016-09-15 21:23

When are they playing Quarterfinals #3 and #4????

2016-09-15 21:35

R E A D Both group winners will go straight to the semi-finals, while the second and third-placed sides will play in the quarter-finals

2016-09-15 21:44

I did miss that. Thanks.

2016-09-15 21:45

i like it. even tho 6 na teams is alot off na cs.

2016-09-15 21:46

Yea but realistically it'll be like three NA teams and SK/IMT and Renegades, and the three NA teams will be the actually respectable skill level NA teams (Cloud9, OpTic, Liquid)

2016-09-15 21:52

4 NA teams is enough,only the best qualify,prolly SK C9 Liquid and one out of IMT/Optic/Renegades 6 is too many.

2016-09-16 09:25

tbh, its very likely to be imt, sk, ren and 3 na

2016-09-15 23:07

Isnt a LAN meant to be in-front of people? And now even more money will be made for teams that dont perform fnatic and godsent basically run all of cs now. Open up your eyes. Fnatic fielded a cheater for years. Suddenly those clips stop when a fuss begins.. More and more bullshit to keep everyone from remembering flusha cheated, and currently are several cheaters in professional CSGO. How can the coach from a cheat squad become the head of the council LMFAO. People are corrupt af.

2016-09-15 22:20

Love the proposed format!

2016-09-15 23:14

best-of-one round robin group stage Good old times are coming back.

WEEEEEEEEEEE lets F go!

2016-09-16 01:13

I can understand increasing number of teams at LAN finals to 12 But 6 NA teams ? Are you KIDDING ME ? 6 NA TEAMS???? SK,C9,IMT/Liquid/Optic/Renegades. Tbqh renegades cant do shit against good teams anyways. Waste of 2 slots.

2016-09-16 09:26