Competitive esports platform FACEIT will be shutting down the Esports Championship Series (ECS) to instead produce the upcoming NA-based “B Site” CS:GO league, according to a report from DBLTAP. Details surrounding the league are currently unclear, though reports suggest competition will begin in March. ECS launched its first season in 2016, and concluded its eighth season in December of 2019.

A previous DBLTAP report released in December revealed information surrounding an upcoming CS:GO league produced by a company called B Site Inc. The league’s official name has not yet been revealed. The league will reportedly feature twelve teams, with names such as Cloud9, MIBR, Dignitas, Mad Lions, and Gen.G already linked. Current world number one Astralis were also mentioned in the initial report, though captain Lukas “gla1ve” Rossander later revealed that the team had not yet committed to any league.

via ECS

FACEIT has been active as a CS:GO tournament organizer since 2013, having hosted the FACEIT Cup and later the FACEIT League up until 2015. The first season of the Esports Championship Series began in 2016. The tournament circuit featured both North American and European online divisions, with the top four teams from each region meeting in a LAN Final at the end of each season.

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ECS has hosted eight competitive seasons since its launch, giving away almost $6.2 million in total prize money. The league featured some of Counter-Strike’s best teams, including Astralis, Team Liquid, Evil Geniuses, and Fnatic. FACEIT has now reportedly partnered with B Site Inc. to run production for the company's upcoming CS:GO league, with ECS shutting down as a result.

The B Site league will require teams to pay a $2 million buy-in to participate, offering ownership in the league and revenue share in return. Only ten teams will be required to pay the entry fee, as the remaining two teams will join the league through a qualifier system. The two qualified teams will not be included in the revenue share.

The B Site league will boast a $1 million prize pool each season, with two seasons being played each year. B Site’s regular season will be played on LAN, with the top eight teams advancing to a LAN Final. The Final’s location will alternate between Europe and North America each season, with the first season’s Final reportedly taking place in Europe.

Many details regarding the B Site league are yet to be released. The league is expected to begin competition in March.

Source: DBLTAP

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