ESL brings significant changes to 2024 EPT slot distribution
In a groundbreaking move, ESL (Electronic Sports League) has recently announced major adjustments to the slot distribution for the 2024 Pro Tour, reshaping the landscape of competitive esports. The alterations come on the heels of ESL's unveiling of the competitive calendar for the upcoming year, featuring a mix of Masters and Championship events alongside Challenger events.
Revised slot distribution for many ESL events
One of the most notable changes is the reduction of World Ranking slots for North America (NA) in both IEM Katowice and IEM Cologne, impacting the region's representation on the global stage. IEM Katowice 2024 will now see only one World Ranking slot for NA, down from the previous two, and the removal of Elisa Masters Espoo as a qualifier event for Katowice.
To compensate for these adjustments, ESL has introduced two additional Global ESL World Ranking invites for Katowice and an extra invite for Cologne. Moreover, ESL Meisterschaft's winner will no longer secure a spot in Cologne, making way for a German qualifier.
Global implications
The changes are not limited to Europe and North America but extend to the global scene. IEM China 2024, replacing IEM Sydney in the Pro Tour calendar, will now feature an offline qualifier instead of a local hero invite. The European qualifier slots have been reduced from two to one, while South America gains a coveted qualifier slot.
With Team Liquid going to Europe and the rest of North American teams underperforming, ESL decided to give one of their spots to other regions (credits: Blast.tv)The 2024 ESL Pro Tour changelog
- IEM Katowice 2024
- Removed Affiliate Event slot (Elisa in 2023)
- Reduced World Ranking NA slots, from 2 to 1.
- Added 2 additional Global World Ranking invites.
- IEM Cologne 2024
- Replaced Meisterschaft slot with German qualifier slot
- Reduced World Ranking NA slots, from 2 to 1
- Added 1 additional Global World Ranking invite.
- ESL Pro League S19
- Increased Global ESL World Ranking slots from 3 to 4
- Reduced EU Pre Qualifier Season 19 slots from 2 to 1
- ESL Brazil Premier League Season 15 slot replaced with an increased qualifier slot for South America (2 instead of 1).
- ESL Pro League S20
- Added South America and Oceania as new regions for ESL Challenger League slots
- Removed National Championship & open qualifier slots
- Decreased Global ESL World Ranking slots from 4 to 3
- Added two Affiliate Event slots.
- IEM China 2024
- Replaced Local Hero Invite with Offline Qualifier.
- Decreased EU Qualifier slots from 2 to 1 and added 1 SA Qualifier slot.
- ESL Challenger
- Removed the South African slot and replaced some Local Hero Invite slots with local qualifiers.
A fair shake for all regions
In summary, ESL's decision to redistribute slots has elicited discussions about fairness in regional representation. These changes aim to create a more level playing field for teams worldwide, ensuring that each region has a fair opportunity to showcase its talent on the global stage.
While some regions may see a reduction in slots, the overall goal is to foster a more competitive and diverse esports ecosystem. ESL's commitment to adapting slot distribution to reflect the evolving landscape of competitive gaming is a step towards making the ESL Pro Tour truly representative of the global esports community.
As the esports world anticipates the first Big Event of 2024, IEM Katowice, these changes will undoubtedly shape the narrative of competitive gaming in the coming year. The recalibration of slot distribution is not just a change in numbers; it signifies ESL's dedication to ensuring fairness, diversity, and excellence in the ever-evolving esports landscape.
Feature image credits: ESL Twitter banner
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