The Electronic Sports League (ESL) has confirmed that the prize money of the IEM Rio Major will be increased from $1 million to $1.25 million. This makes it the second-most lucrative competitive CS:GO tournament in the world behind the PGL Stockholm Majors.
The raised prize pool now means that each of the 24 competing teams will win an amount, from the top seed down to the last. While the winner’s reward hasn’t changed, the additional $250k has been distributed among the teams placed fifth and lower.
The winner and runner continue to take home $500,000 and $170,000 respectively, however the teams that finish between 17th-24th will now get $10k each.
The CS:GO Major prize pool has shown a 400% increase since the first one, the DreamHack Winter began in 2013. Back then it offered a total of $250,000 distributed among its participants, and the figure was maintained until 2016 when the MLG Columbus became the first to set a million dollar pool.
IEM Major seating capacity increased
The IEM Rio Majors will last twelve days between October 31 and November 13. Earlier only the Champions Stage across the last four days was supposed to be held in front of a live audience at Jeunesse Arena, but the ESL has announced that fans will now be allowed for all twelve days of the tournament.
The Challengers and the Legends stage, each lasting four days between October 31 to November 8 will take place in front of a crowd at Riocentro in Hall 6. Overall, the audience capacity has been increased by over 100,000.
Along with this, the Jeunesse Arena has been enhanced with an increased number of seats to create the first ever 360 degree stage in the history of ESL CS:GO.
Other activities at the Majors
On the last weekend of the tournament, the final days of the Champions Stage, a Fan Fest will be organized featuring Gaules, the popular retired Brazilian CS:GO player and now full-time streamer. This event will be open to fans, even the ones who don’t have tickets and will aim to “accommodate every Brazilian fan who wants to be a part of the Major.”
All the Champions stage matches will be streamed live outside the Jeunesse Arena on a big screen. This is an opportunity for fans who couldn’t get tickets – and there are likely to be plenty of those, given that the tickets for the IEM sold out within an hour of going live for purchase – to be a part of the experience.
They can buy their team’s colors at the ESL shop, win prizes at the partner booths, and immerse themselves in the game with a plentiful supply of food and drink.
Road to Rio RMRs to get underway
The 24 participants of the Majors will be confirmed with the conclusion of the IEM: Road to Rio RMRs. Eight teams each from the European A and B RMRs will seed through to the Majors, the top four from each category acquiring Legend Status while the lower four will make Challenger Status. The European region accounts for a total of 16 teams in the Majors, and the competitions will be held in Malta between October 5 and October 9.
The top six teams of the American RMRs, held in Stockholm will make it to the Majors, the first place with Legend Status, second and third as Challengers, and the lower three Contenders. The winner and runners-up of the RMRs of Asia-Pacific will seed through as Contenders.
www.esportsbets.com
