Blast Premier
Blast Premier (stylized as BLAST Premier) is a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO) professional esports league launched in 2020. It is primarily based in two regions: North America and Europe. The series is divided into two seasons, the Spring and Fall season. Each season lasts around four months with 12 regular season teams participating in the Group stage, ending with a season finals for the 6 top teams from the group stage.[1] The season finals are also open to two teams from each season's Showdown events, which are open to a much broader array of organizations, including those that did not advance in the regular season. The winner of each season's finals goes on to participate the Global Finals at the end of the year, as well as winners of other prestigious non-BLAST Premier events and those that rank highest in the BLAST Premier Global Leaderboard, a standings of the top events of the year from multiple leagues and tournaments.[2] The Danish esports organisation, RFRSH Entertainment, announced the series as a successor to the BLAST Pro Series in 2019.[3] The 2020 Blast Premier Series experienced disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the transition of all events except the Spring regular season online and reduced prize pools for many of the events. This disruption continued into the 2021 season, with both the Spring Groups and Spring Showdown occurring online, though all other events are currently planned to be held offline.[4] In March 2021, they announced cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase as its latest sponsor for the competition's ongoing Spring Season.[5] They also partnered with Danish gaming chair manufacturer L33T Gaming.[6]
Formerly | BLAST Pro Series |
---|---|
Game | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive |
Founded | January 2020 |
Owner(s) | Blast ApS |
No. of teams | 12 |
Headquarters | Copenhagen, Denmark |
Continents | Worldwide |
Most recent champion(s) | G2 Esports (World Final) |
TV partner(s) | |
Official website | blastpremier |
Editions
Edition | Date | Venue, Host city | Champions | Runners-up | Prize pool | MVP | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spring 2020: Regular Season | January 31–February 16, 2020 | 3 Mills Studio, London | FaZe Clan Natus Vincere G2 Esports |
OG Esports Complexity Gaming Team Liquid |
US$300,000 | Not awarded | [7] |
Spring 2020 Europe Showdown | June 1–15, 2020 | Europe / Online | Vitality ENCE |
Ninjas in Pyjamas | US$182,500 | [8] | |
Spring 2020 Americas Showdown | June 1–7, 2020 | North America / Online | MiBR Furia |
Evil Geniuses | US$142,500 | [9] | |
Spring 2020 Europe Finals | June 15–21, 2020 | Europe / Online | Complexity Gaming | Team Vitality | US$500,000 | Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut | [10] |
Spring 2020 Americas Finals | June 16–21, 2020 | North America / Online | Evil Geniuses | MiBR | US$250,000 | Tsvetelin "CeRq" Dimitrov | [11] |
Fall Series 2020 | October 15–31, 2020 | Europe / Online | OG Esports Team Vitality G2 Esports |
Natus Vincere BIG Astralis |
US$300,000 | Not awarded | [12] |
Fall Showdown 2020 | November 24–29, 2020 | FURIA mousesports |
Cloud9 Team Liquid |
US$150,000 | [13] | ||
Fall 2020 Finals | December 8–13, 2020 | Team Vitality | Astralis | US$425,000 | Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut | [14] | |
Global Final 2020 | January 19–24, 2021 | Natus Vincere | Astralis | US$1,000,000 | Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev | [15] | |
Spring Groups 2021 | February 4–14, 2021 | BIG Complexity Gaming Natus Vincere |
Ninjas in Pyjamas Evil Geniuses FaZe Clan |
US$150,000 | Not awarded | [16] | |
Spring Showdown 2021 | April 13–18, 2021 | G2 Esports Gambit Esports |
Team Spirit Heroic |
US$162,500 | [17] | ||
Spring Finals 2021 | June 15–20, 2021 | Gambit Esports | Natus Vincere | US$425,000 | Abay "Hobbit" Khassenov | [18] | |
Fall Groups 2021 | September 16–26, 2021 | Natus Vincere Ninjas in Pyjamas Team Vitality |
FaZe Clan BIG Astralis |
US$150,000 | Not awarded | [19] | |
Fall Showdown 2021 | October 12–17, 2021 | Heroic Team Liquid |
OG Esports MAD Lions |
US$162,500 | [20] | ||
Fall Finals 2021 | November 24–28, 2021 | Royal Arena, Copenhagen | Natus Vincere | Team Vitality | US$425,000 | Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev | [21] |
World Final 2021 | December 14–19, 2021 | BLAST Studio, Copenhagen | Gambit Esports | US$1,000,000 | [22] | ||
Spring Groups 2022 | January 28–February 6, 2022 | Europe / Online | Team Vitality OG Esports Faze Clan |
G2 Esports Natus Vincere BIG |
US$117,500 | Not awarded | [23] |
Spring Showdown Europe 2022 | April 27–May 1, 2022 | Europe / Online | ENCE | Astralis | US$$67,500 | [24] | |
Spring Showdown North America 2022 | North America / Online | Pain Gaming | Furia Esports | US$$67,500 | [25] | ||
Spring Finals 2022 | June 15–19, 2022 | Altice Arena, Lisbon | Natus Vincere | Team Vitality | US$425,000 | Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev | [26] |
Fall Groups 2022 | August 19–28, 2022 | BLAST Studio, Copenhagen | OG Esports Natus Vincere Team Liquid |
FaZe Clan Ninjas in Pyjamas G2 Esports |
US$117,500 | Not awarded | [27] |
Fall Showdown Europe 2022 | October 19–23, 2022 | Europe / Online | Heroic | Astralis | US$$67,500 | [28] | |
Fall Showdown North America 2022 | North America / Online | Fluxo | MiBR | US$$67,500 | [29] | ||
Fall Finals 2022 | November 23–27, 2022 | Royal Arena, Copenhagen | Heroic | FaZe Clan | US$$425,000 | Helvijs "broky" Saukants | [30] |
World Final 2022 | December 14–18, 2022 | Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi | G2 Esports | Team Liquid | US$1,000,000 | Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov | [31] |
Spring Groups 2023 | January 19–29, 2023 | BLAST Studio, Copenhagen | Team Vitality Faze Clan G2 Esports |
NAVI Heroic Astralis |
US$117,500 | Not awarded | [32] |
Spring Showdown Europe 2023 | March 29– April 2, 2023 | Europe/Online | Cloud9 | BIG | US$67,500 | [33] | |
Spring Showdown North America 2023 | March 29–April 2, 2023 | North America/Online | Imperial | PaiN Gaming | US$67,500 | [34] | |
Spring Final 2023 | June 7–11, 2023 | Entertainment and Sports Arena, Washington D.C. | Heroic | Team Vitality | US$425,000 | Casper "cadiaN" Møller | [35] |
Fall Groups 2023 | July 13–23, 2023 | Copenhagen | FaZe Clan Heroic Ninjas in Pyjamas |
Natus Vincere Team Vitality Astralis |
US$177,500 | Not awarded | [36] |
World Team Of The Year
Year | Role | ID | Name | Team |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021[37] | IGL | apEX | Dan Madesclaire | Team Vitality |
AWP | s1mple | Oleksandr Kostyliev | Natus Vincere | |
Entry | NiKo | Nikola Kovač | G2 Esports | |
Support | Perfecto | Ilya Zalutskiy | Natus Vincere | |
Lurker | Hobbit | Abai Hasenov | Gambit Esports | |
Coach | B1ad3 | Andrii Horodenskyi | Natus Vincere |
Year | Role | ID | Name | Team |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | IGL | karrigan | Finn Andersen | FaZe Clan |
AWP | s1mple | Oleksandr Kostyliev | Natus Vincere | |
Entry | Yekindar | Mareks Gaļinskis | Team Liquid | |
Support | Perfecto | Ilya Zalutskiy | Natus Vincere | |
Lurker | Ropz | Robin Kool | Faze Clan | |
Coach | B1ad3 | Andrii Horodenskyi | Natus Vincere |
References
- Pete, Alex (2020-01-30). "Formats, schedule and information on Blast Premier Series". EsportsJunkie.com. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
- Fitch, Adam (2019-09-15). "BLAST Premier announced with $4.25M prize pool for 2020". Esportsinsider. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
- "BLAST PREMIER announced with format changes and $4,250,000 prize pool for 2020". HLTV.org. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
- Fitch, Adam (2020-09-16). "BLAST Premier revises prize pool distribution to greater benefit organisations". Esportsinsider. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
- Poole, Joey (2021-04-01). "BLAST Premier cashes in on Coinbase partnership". Esportsinsider. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
- Nicholson, Jonno (2021-04-08). "BLAST Premier gets comfortable with L33T Gaming". Esportsinsider. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
- "Blast Premier Spring Series 2020". HLTV. January 16 – February 16, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Spring 2020 Europe Showdown". HLTV. June 1–15, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Spring 2020 Americas Showdown". HLTV. June 1–7, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Spring 2020 Europe Finals". HLTV. June 15–21, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Spring 2020 Americas Finals". HLTV. June 16–21, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Fall Series 2020". HLTV. October 15–31, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Fall Showdown 2020". HLTV. November 24–29, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Spring 2020 Europe Finals". HLTV. June 15–21, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Global Final 2020". HLTV. January 19–24, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Spring Groups 2021". HLTV. February 4–14, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Spring Showdown 2021". HLTV. April 13–18, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Spring Finals 2021". HLTV. June 15–20, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Fall Groups 2021". HLTV. September 16–26, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Fall Showdown 2021". HLTV. October 12–17, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Fall Final 2021". HLTV. November 24–28, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- "Blast Premier World Final 2021". HLTV. December 15–19, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
- "Blast Premier Spring Groups 2022". HLTV. February 4–14, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
- "Blast Premier Spring Showdown 2022 Europe". HLTV. April 27 – May 1, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
- "Blast Premier Spring Showdown North America 2022". HLTV. April 27 – May 1, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
- "Blast Premier Spring Final 2022". HLTV. June 15–19, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
- "Blast Premier Fall Groups 2022". HLTV. August 19–28, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
- "BLAST Premier Fall Showdown 2022 Europe". HLTV. October 19–23, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
- "BLAST Premier Fall Showdown 2022 North America". HLTV. October 19–23, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
- "BLAST Premier Fall Final 2022". HLTV. November 23–27, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- "BLAST Premier World Final 2022". HLTV. December 14–18, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
- "BLAST Premier Spring Groups 2023". HLTV. January 19–29, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- "BLAST Premier Spring Showdown 2023 Europe". HLTV.org. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
- "BLAST Premier Spring Showdown 2023 Americas". HLTV.org. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
- "BLAST Premier Spring Final 2023". HLTV.org. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
- "BLAST Premier Fall Groups 2023". HLTV.org. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- "World Team Of The Year". BLAST Premier. 19 December 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2021.