The Showdown and Finals stages of the BLAST Premier CS:GO tournament circuit have been moved online, the organizer announced yesterday. BLAST Premier joins many other esports events that have been adapted to an online format due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
BLAST Premier’s initial stage took place on LAN, bringing twelve teams together in a fight for a $50,000 first-place prize and a spot in the Spring Finals. Six teams earned spots in the Finals, while the remaining six were sent to the Showdown. The Showdown and Finals were scheduled to take place in June, with the Finals confirmed for Moscow, Russia, with a $750,000 prize pool.
The Showdown and Finals will now be split into European and North American online events, with the Showdown stage being expanded to host ten teams in each region. The top four teams from Europe will advance to the European Final, while the top two in NA will advance to their respective Final. The European Final will see eight teams fight for a $500,000 prize pool, while four teams will battle for a $250,000 prize pool in North America.
There will be one Spring Finals champion crowned from each region. The winners from North America and Europe, as well as Europe’s second-place team, will earn a spot in the 2020 Global Final, which is scheduled for January 2021.
The BLAST Spring Showdown will begin online in North America and Europe on May 31st. The European Final is set to begin on June 15th, and the North American Final on the 16th.
