ESL is one of the biggest tournament organizers in the CS:GO esports scene. Already with 12 teams signed with them, ESL now totals to 15 partners with the addition of FURIA, Heroic, and BIG. Titled the ‘Lourve Agreement’, the three teams accepted a $20 million partnership with ESL.
Along with permanent spot in the ESL Pro League, the extensive agreement also offers the esports organizations shared revenue from their events. FURIA and BIG will enter into the agreement immediately. HEROIC, on the other hand, will have to wait.
HEROIC’s ongoing cheating scandal has delayed their entrance into the agreement, expected to official join in the second half of 2022. The Danish organization is still under investigation by the Esports Integrity Commission. While the ESIC has cleared HEROIC players, the organization has been shaken by the loss of HUNDEN and the allegations which followed.
The delay will give HEROIC time to recover and address the allegation. New leadership is also currently being implementing into the current CS:GO roster.
After the departure of 100 Thieves from CS:GO, ESL has been on the hunt for new members. Astralis, Complexity, ENCE, Evil Geniuses, FaZe Clan, Fnatic, MOUZ, Navi, NiP, Team Liquid, and Vitality are all current standing members. With the addition of these three new teams, the agreement has bolstered its ranks.
The online era has been incredibly damaging to the CS:GO scene. Most North American and Brazilian teams have had to permanently relocate to Europe to stay relevant. This has caused domestic scenes to suffer, but this deal could be a step in the right direction. The next ESL Pro League season will run through March 9th to April 10th.
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