Cloud9, MIBR headline confirmed teams for B Site CSGO League
Dreamhack / ECSCloud9, MIBR, Dignitas, Gen.G, MAD Lions, and ex-CR4ZY have all joined the B Site CSGO League, according to a report by ESPN, with the North American-based rival to ESL Pro League set to start in March.
Some of North America’s most iconic organizations have partnered with FACEIT’s B Site League for 2020 as the race to secure CS:GO top talent steams forward.
Brazilian fan-favorites MIBR and the new Cloud9 roster will headline the rival competition to ESL Pro League. Both teams were invited by ESL to play in the league, but declined the offer or didn’t respond to the tournament organizer.
A revitalized Dignitas roster featuring Ninjas in Pyjamas veterans Patrik ‘f0rest’ Lindberg, Christopher ‘GeT_RiGhT’ Alesund, and Adam ‘friberg’ Friberg are also one of six teams confirmed for the tournament, according to ESPN.
DreamhackGen.G, MAD Lions, and ex-CR4ZY (now c0ntact) have also signed on with B Site. The league reportedly has a $2 million franchising fee, giving teams access to the revenue share model, as well as players also receiving a cut of all money earned through the new league.
More teams will be drafted through an online qualifier with more than “six figures” on the line, according to a tweet from Duncan ‘Thorin’ Shields.
The league will finish up with around 10 to 12 teams, although it’s unclear as to whether more teams are expected to get invited or if remaining slots will be filled by the qualifiers.
"B site" plans already included an online worldwide qualifier, but in light of the disgraceful betrayal by ESL of players and teams who had qualified for/had EPL slots until today, we're expanding our system and including additional money for teams who qualify. pic.twitter.com/BhNTEejVjv
— Thorin (@Thorin) January 25, 2020
The team announcement comes after a week of controversy between ESL and the B Site organizers. ESL revealed the 24 teams invited to Pro League Season 11 on January 24, with a whole new format alongside it.
However, at the time of announcing, none of the teams had officially signed to the league, with Thorin cutting ties with the tournament organizer over slashing half of their originally-planned 48 slots for the big event, leaving some teams hanging to dry.
“In light of the unethical and unprofessional behavior of ESL over their EPL dealings I won’t be working with their org under any circumstances until the people responsible are named and fired or leave the company,” he said.
Players like Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev have also called out ESL, labelling the late change “pathetic.”
B Site League will take place in Los Angeles, starting sometime in March.
It will feature some of CS:GO’s most well-respected talent, including Auguste ‘Semmler’ Massonnat and Anders Blume. It will also be Christopher ‘MonteCristo’ Mykles’ first time casting CS:GO.