TL;DR
- BLAST Premier excluded world-ranked #3 Fnatic and tournament-winning mousesports from their 12-team circuit
- The selection process involved 20+ teams using undisclosed weighted criteria that sparked industry criticism
- New organizations like OG received invites despite lacking established competitive track records
- The format includes automatic qualification for top performers and a showdown qualifier for remaining teams
- Historical comparisons to failed PEA league raise concerns about scheduling conflicts with ESL Pro League
Sam Matthews, CEO of Fnatic, publicly voiced his frustration on social media regarding his organization’s exclusion from the upcoming BLAST Premier tournament circuit. The oversight appears particularly puzzling given Fnatic’s current standing as the third-highest ranked professional Counter-Strike team globally according to HLTV rankings.
When tournament organizer BLAST Entertainment unveiled its participant roster, industry observers immediately questioned why several unproven squads received slots ahead of established contenders like Fnatic and mousesports. Both organizations demonstrated exceptional competitive form throughout 2019, with mousesports capturing championship titles in three of their last four major competitions.
Nicholas Estrup, BLAST’s Director of Product, clarified in discussions with HLTV that the selection committee evaluated more than twenty potential participants before finalizing their twelve-team lineup based on multiple weighted evaluation factors.
Both Matthews and Fnatic’s coaching staff responded critically following the interview’s publication, with team representatives characterizing Estrup’s explanations as disrespectful toward both their competitive squad and the broader organization.
WIN.gg contacted BLAST Entertainment representatives for additional commentary shortly after the official BLAST Premier announcement, though no response had been received by publication deadline.
BLAST Premier Team Selection Analysis: Inclusion and Omission Patterns
BLAST confirmed its twelve participating organizations in early December. The selection encompassed most elite competitive squads including:
Astralis,
FaZe Clan,
Team Liquid,
MiBR,
Ninjas in Pyjamas,
Team Vitality,
Evil Geniuses, and
Natus Vincere.
Several inclusion decisions generated substantial criticism from both dedicated fans and the broader CS:GO competitive community. Organizations including 100 Thieves, G2 Esports, Complexity Gaming, and OG have demonstrated inconsistent competitive results throughout the 2019 season. Notably, OG only formally announced its inaugural Counter-Strike competitive roster on December 5, raising questions about selection transparency. Community members initially characterized the Fnatic and mousesports exclusions as deliberate snubs, sentiments now amplified by Fnatic’s official organizational response.
Upon its announcement, industry analysts immediately drew parallels between BLAST Premier and the 2016 team-owned Professional Esports Association. The PEA initiative ultimately collapsed when professional players organized collective opposition after discovering the league would prohibit their participation in ESL’s established Pro League circuit. Significantly, BLAST Premier’s planned 2020 competitive calendar appears to create scheduling conflicts with ESL Pro League’s upcoming eleventh competitive season, potentially forcing organizations to prioritize one tournament series over another.
BLAST Premier was formally announced during early December as a twelve-team competitive circuit featuring two seasonal competitions annually culminating in a championship finale. The BLAST Premier Spring Series commences competitive play on January 31 in London, England.
Squads finishing within the top six positions automatically secure placement in the 2020 BLAST Spring Finals championship event. Remaining participant organizations will then compete in a qualifying tournament for the Spring Finals, designated as the 2020 BLAST Spring Showdown.
Action Checklist
- Monitor tournament selection criteria and application deadlines for major circuits
- Maintain detailed performance metrics and ranking data for selection committees
- Develop contingency plans for overlapping tournament schedules
- Establish direct communication channels with tournament organizers for clarification
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