CSPPA confirms changes to player breaks

The Counter-Strike Professional Players' Association (CSPPA) has announced changes to the summer and winter player breaks, which have been moved to July 6-August 6 and December 21-January 17.

The news partially confirms a late-April report by HLTV.org of talks being held between the CSPPA and a number of tournament organizers, who proposed moving the summer player break more than two weeks earlier compared to its original dates on July 15-August 15.

In return, the association suggested an extension of the winter break to January 17 to take into account those who celebrate Orthodox Christmas. after several players who had played the IEM Katowice Closed Qualifier in Europe in early January expressed their criticism regarding the previously set dates.

Having consulted the matter with Valve, ESL, Flashpoint, DreamHack, and StarLadder, the CSPPA's board of players went ahead with adjustments with one modification: The summer break has been moved to nine days earlier, starting on July 6.

The new off-season dates are once again:

July 6-August 6
December 21-January 17

It's unclear why the changes to the summer break were proposed. At the moment, the two most notable events scheduled the closest to its new dates from both ends are the BLAST Premier Spring Finals (June 15-21) and ESL One Cologne (August 21-30).

Originally, IEM Melbourne was meant to be the first tournament of the second season, but it was postponed to 2021, while ESL One Cologne replaced it after it was moved from early July.