Cover image and thumbnail source: FLASHPOINT
The much discussed team-owned CS:GO league known under the code name ‘B Site’ has now been officially announced as FLASHPOINT. The franchised league is owned by ten founding partner teams.
Here’s everything you need to know about FLASHPOINT.
Format
Instead of a traditional league format, FLASHPOINT will feature a tournament series that culminates into a double elimination playoff bracket. FACEIT will act the as the league's operator.
The inaugural season consists of 12 slots, 10 of which are locked in by the founding partner teams while the remaining two slots will be filled via open qualifiers. For more details about the open qualifiers read our announcement post.
Group Stage
Each of the 12 teams will receive an initial seed using a CSPPA ranking system.
The regular season will be split into two phases. Teams will be split into three groups of four teams each. Each group will play a GSL style double elimination bracket with best-of-three matches. The groups will be drafted by the teams themselves.
At the end of phase one, teams will redraft the groups once again and play another phase of GSL groups. The top eight teams (by points earned) at the end of phase two of the group stage will progress to the double elimination playoffs.
Playoffs
The top eight teams from the group stages will play a double elimination bracket with best-of-three matches. All matches except for the lower bracket finals and grand finals will be played in a studio. The LB finals and grand finals will be played in a stadium.
Participating Teams
The ten founding partner teams for the first season of FLASHPOINT are as follows:
- Cloud9
- MIBR
- GEN.G
- Dignitas
- MAD Lions
- C0ntact
- TBA
- TBA
- TBA
- TBA
The teams from the open qualifiers are as follows:
- TBD
- TBD
Prize Pool and Financial Support
According to HLTV, FLASHPOINT will offer over $2 Million in prize money in 2020 over the course of two seasons. The qualifiers will include a prize pool of $100,000. Additionally, teams without organizational backing will be able to earn a minimum monthly stipend of $25,000.
Commentators, Analysts and Talent
The complete talent list for FLASHPOINT is as follows:
- Duncan “Thorin” Shields - Creative Director, talent
- Auguste "Semmler" Massonnat - Product Advisor, talent
- Christopher "MonteCristo" Mykles - Product Advisor, talent
- Sean "seang@res" Gares - talent
- Freya Spiers - talent
- Anders "Anders" Blume - talent
- Jason "moses" O'Toole - talent
- Daniel "ddk" Kapadia - talent
- James Bardolph - talent
