RFRSH Entertainment has announced changes to BLAST Pro Series: LA which includes a Bo3 semi-final and a Front Row experience.
Taking place on July 13-14, six CS:GO teams will go head-to-head for their share of the $250,000 prize pool and for their position in the 2019 Season of BLAST Pro Series. Teams taking part in BLAST Pro Series: LA include FaZe Clan, MIBR, Cloud9, Team Liquid, NRG and 1 TBA.
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The Front Row experience will allow fans access to stage and player zones, talent studios, intimate stages, open media zones, photo opportunities, casters’ boxes and special guests.
Nicolas Estrup, Director of Product at BLAST Pro Series, said: “The BLAST Pro Series Front Row experience has been a dream of ours for a long time. We invite the fans and viewers into all the way into the engine room of live Counter-Strike, up close with the players, talent, hosts, the media machine and to the production of the massive set-up a BLAST tournament is.
“There are so many things going on at a tournament that you never get to see as a fan, and we’re now opening the doors to it, studios and stages to the live audience and to the viewers at home.”
The BLAST Pro Series: LA will start with a group stage round robin format. Two Bo1 games will be played at the same time, apart from the fifth and final Group Stage round where all three matches will be played simultaneously. The four top teams go through to the best of 3 semi-finals. The new Bo3 format will then see semi-final teams play one at a time leading up the Bo3 Grand Final.
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“The format in Los Angeles will be our first tournament with Bo3 semifinals, and similar to the live show, we will tweak the format as we go along during the 2019 season and build on the elements and formats that work best for us.” said, Jordi Roig, Executive Producer of BLAST Pro Series.
“We appreciate and will continue to listen to the – sometimes very direct the feedback we get from fans, partners, broadcasters and all other stakeholders to become the best tournament and experience we can be. Los Angeles will mark yet another first for us – and this one we’ve been looking forward to presenting for a long time.”
Esports Insider says: It’s great to see that RFRSH has taken on-board feedback and making some changes. While fans and critics still believe more needs to be done, these can be seen as the first steps. Additionally, the introduction of the Front Row experience is a great way to get fans involved and receive immediate feedback at the event.