ELEAGUE, the premium esports tournament and content brand from Turner and IMG, will mark its return to Valve’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive this Fall with the ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier 2017 beginning Friday, Sept. 1, on TBS. The first one-hour episode will preview the action with commentary and analysis on the teams and players that are set to compete in the weeks ahead.
The ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier 2017 will feature the world’s best CS:GO teams – including ELEAGUE Major Champion Astralis, Season 01 winner Virtus.pro and Season 02 winner OpTic Gaming – competing for $1 million in prize money. Live event competition will ensue with Group A on Friday, Sept. 8, at 10 p.m. ET airing on TBS, with digital coverage also available via Twitch, ELEAGUE.com and YouTube. Group A coverage will continue across those digital platforms Saturday, Sept. 9, at 2 p.m.
The same weekly schedule will apply for Group B (Sept. 15-16), Group C (Sept. 22-23), and Group D (Sept. 29-30). The playoffs will begin with the quarterfinals on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 10 and 11, followed by the semifinals on Thursday, Oct. 12, and the Finals on Friday, Oct. 13. TBS will present live coverage of the Finals at 10 p.m., while quarterfinal and semifinal gameplay will be presented across Twitch, ELEAGUE.com and YouTube.
“We couldn’t be more excited for the return of Counter-Strike as the game’s elite teams and players prepare to compete in the upcoming ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier 2017,” said Christina Alejandre, GM of ELEAGUE and Vice President of esports, Turner Sports. “We’re looking forward to showcasing a tournament field that will provide a compelling live event experience and must-see content for our audiences across all platforms.”
The ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier 2017 will be part of a consistent sequence of live Friday night ELEAGUE programming airing regularly at 10 p.m. on TBS through Thanksgiving, with the ELEAGUE Injustice 2 World Championship set to begin in late October.
Tournament Format
Group stage play will consist of four groups (with four teams apiece) in a double-elimination bracket. The two teams that perform best in each group will earn a spot in the playoffs. The playoffs will consist of the four group champions (each seeded No. 1) and the four group runners-up (each seeded No. 2). Those eight teams will be placed into a single-elimination bracket with each top seeded team facing a No. 2 seeded team.
The ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier 2017 Champion will receive the $500,000 top share of its $1 million prize pool.
Watch live video from ELEAGUE TV on www.twitch.tv