The KSL is back and better than ever! After our initial amazing success with the 2012 Opening Ceremonies, we’ve decided to completely revamp the KSL format! Starting Saturday, February 11th, we’ll be entering a Round-Robin League Format, featuring the 7 teams in the KSL: Prime, Incredible Miracle, FXOpen, Most Valuable Player, ZeNEX, NewStar HoSeo, and StarTale. Unfortunately, in light of recent events, Old Generations has withdrawn from participation in the KSL. As such the Round Robin tournament will only feature Seven (7) teams. The KSL will also be utilizing a $9 Monthly HD Premium Subscription fee, in order to provide additional support for the Korean Teams participating.
The League will run on Saturdays and Sundays, at the regular KSL time. (23:00 KST) [Dates subject to change depending on GSL schedule.] Over the next few weekends, these top Korean teams will battle it out for an increased prize pool, showing possibilities and matchups that this GSTL season might not be able to provide!
For every win a team earns, they will win a prize of $200. After the round robin matches complete, the Top 4 teams will be eligible for the playoffs. The 4th place team will face off against the 3rd place team. The winner of the 3rd/4th place match will move on to face the 2nd place team, and like before, the winner of that will advance to the finals to play the 1st place ranked team. The winning team in the finals will earn themselves $5000, with the second place team taking home $2000. As such, not only does every match count for prize money, but also for league standing, where first overall in the league guarantees your team $2000. Like before, all matches will be Best of 11, giving teams a chance to show off not only their top players, but also their hidden talent that isn’t seen in the GSL.
The map pool will use the following maps: GSL Daybreak GSL Dual Sight GSL Antiga Shipyard GSL Crossfire 1.1 SE GSL Bel’Shir Beach Winter GSL Metropolis ESV Cloud Kingdom GSL Entombed Valley
Our first broadcast week will start Saturday, February 11th and 23:00 KST with Incredible Miracle facing off against ZeNEX. The next day, Sunday, February 12th at the same time, FXOpen will clash with NewStar HoSeo.
1st Week 11.02 IM vs ZeNEX (Starting Map: Daybreak) 12.02 FXO vs NsHS (Starting Map: Dual Sight)
2nd Week 18.02 StarTale vs Prime (Starting Map: Antiga Shipyard) 19.02 MvP vs ZeNEX (Starting Map: Crossfire)
3rd Week 25.02 IM vs Prime (Starting Map: Bel'Shir Beach Winter) 26.02 FXO vs StarTale (Starting Map: Metropolis)
4th Week 03.03 ZeNEX vs Prime (Starting Map: Entombed Valley) 04.03 MvP vs NsHS (Starting Map: ESV Cloud Kingdom)
5th Week 10.03 IM vs FXO (Starting Map: ESV Cloud Kingdom) 11.0 MvP vs Prime (Starting Map: Entombed Valley)
6th Week 17.03 NsHS vs StarTale (Starting Map: Metropolis) 18.03 ZeNEX vs FXO (Starting Map: Bel'Shir Beach Winter)
7th Week 24.03 Prime vs FXO (Starting Map: Crossfire) 25.03 MvP vs StarTale (Starting Map: Antiga Shipyard)
8th Week 31.03 NsHS vs IM (Starting Map: Dual Sight) 01.04 MvP vs FXO (Starting Map: Daybreak)
9th Week 07.04 StarTale vs IM (Starting Map: Daybreak) 08.04 NsHS vs ZeNEX (Starting Map: Dualsight)
10th Week 14.04 StarTale vs ZeNEX (Starting Map: Antiga Shipyard) 15.04 MvP vs IM (Starting Map: Crossfire)
11th Week 21.04 Prime vs NSHoSeo (Starting Map: Bel'Shir Beach Winter) 22.04 [4th Place Ranked Team] vs [3rd Place Ranked Team] (3rd Place Team chooses starting map)
12th Week 28.04 [Winner of 3rd Place/4th Place] vs [2nd Place Ranked Team] (2nd Place Team chooses starting map) 29.04 [Winner of 3rd/4th vs 2nd Place] vs [1st Place Ranked Team] (1st Place Team chooses starting map)
With an increased prize pool, harsher format, and glory all on the line you’d have to be crazy to miss these games! Everything will be on the line for these top Korean teams, brought to you live by our wonderful sponsor: own3D.tv Be sure to tune into the stream on own3D.tv at the regular KSL time (23:00 KST) for all the fantastic matches brought to you by the Korean Starcraft II League and own3D.tv!
Matches will be broadcast by a variety of commentators including KatuStarcraft (English), Khaldor (English) GoodGameRU (Russian), and sc2tv.ru (Russian)
Sounds great, but I think I will pass on the HD pass (GSTL is only $5.50/month and the GSL is $12/month if you buy a year). Looking forward to some great matches, especially from the teams getting knocked out of the GSTL this week.
Also, the move for oGs to drop out seems counter intuitive. Since they just lost two of their top players, they should be looking for good opportunities to cultivate their up and coming talent...
Is it still Winner's League format or regular Proleague style now? oGs's withdrawal is surprising though . And what's with TSL and SlayerS not joining. It's a really good opportunity for them all really. The money is really good.
On February 09 2012 17:13 pdd wrote: Is it still Winner's League format or regular Proleague style now? oGs's withdrawal is surprising though . And what's with TSL and SlayerS not joining. It's a really good opportunity for them all really. The money is really good.
Wonder if it's sponsor related.
All matches are still Bo11 Winner's League format.
I'm not currently able to comment regarding the oGs withdrawal/absence of TSL and SlayerS
On February 09 2012 17:13 pdd wrote: Is it still Winner's League format or regular Proleague style now? oGs's withdrawal is surprising though . And what's with TSL and SlayerS not joining. It's a really good opportunity for them all really. The money is really good.
Wonder if it's sponsor related.
All matches are still Bo11 Winner's League format.
I'm not currently able to comment regarding the oGs withdrawal/absence of TSL and SlayerS
Best of 11 AND winner's league? Daaaaang. Are there going to be (free) vods, or is it part of the $9 HD service, or a rebroadcast or anything? 9am EST isn't ideal but this sounds pretty awesome. It might make me wake up early on a Sunday morning though
Could you update the OP with info on Slayers/oGs (and TSL?) when/if you are allowed to discuss it?
edit: in response to below, YES! Thanks a lot, this looks great
On February 09 2012 17:13 pdd wrote: Is it still Winner's League format or regular Proleague style now? oGs's withdrawal is surprising though . And what's with TSL and SlayerS not joining. It's a really good opportunity for them all really. The money is really good.
Wonder if it's sponsor related.
All matches are still Bo11 Winner's League format.
I'm not currently able to comment regarding the oGs withdrawal/absence of TSL and SlayerS
Best of 11 AND winner's league? Daaaaang. Are there going to be (free) vods, or is it part of the $9 HD service, or a rebroadcast or anything? 9am EST isn't ideal but this sounds pretty awesome. It might make me wake up early on a Sunday morning though
As far as I'm aware, VoDs will still be free to watch.
This is the format I wish GSTL would adopt. KSL has always been awesome and just got more awesome. oGs leaving is sad but they're one of least exciting team from a spectator's perspective. Arguably their top 3 players (Supernonva/Fin/TheStc) are Terran and their Zerg/Protoss lineup isn't very deep at all. oGs probably wants to focus on GSTL instead.
This is ran by SK Reis, who's the SK Gaming RTS manager. Might be some bad blood between oGs and SK after the MC transfer (It also seemed so from the Spunky statement). So that might be the reason they arent participating.
On February 10 2012 01:33 Eee wrote: This is ran by SK Reis, who's the SK Gaming RTS manager. Might be some bad blood between oGs and SK after the MC transfer (It also seemed so from the Spunky statement). So that might be the reason they arent participating.
can you link the statement? sad for ogs but will be still good ~
On February 10 2012 01:33 Eee wrote: This is ran by SK Reis, who's the SK Gaming RTS manager. Might be some bad blood between oGs and SK after the MC transfer (It also seemed so from the Spunky statement). So that might be the reason they arent participating.
Don't think there is some bad blood between them since he is translating for supernova at iem sao paulo
On February 10 2012 01:33 Eee wrote: This is ran by SK Reis, who's the SK Gaming RTS manager. Might be some bad blood between oGs and SK after the MC transfer (It also seemed so from the Spunky statement). So that might be the reason they arent participating.
Don't think there is some bad blood between them since he is translating for supernova at iem sao paulo
That is what I'm wondering about. Why is he translating for nova when the sk/ogs partnership is over? SK.Supernova incoming?
On February 10 2012 01:33 Eee wrote: This is ran by SK Reis, who's the SK Gaming RTS manager. Might be some bad blood between oGs and SK after the MC transfer (It also seemed so from the Spunky statement). So that might be the reason they arent participating.
Don't think there is some bad blood between them since he is translating for supernova at iem sao paulo
That is what I'm wondering about. Why is he translating for nova when the sk/ogs partnership is over? SK.Supernova incoming?
because reis is a boss? i would like to read spunkys statement thou
Glad to see that there are more tournaments catering to the Korean teams. Despite having amazing talent and being among the best, they don't have as much money as some foreigners team do so I'm really happy to see this and hopefully this can contribute them adding more players to their roster, or at least help them maintain them =)
Gogo Zenex; would love to see them earn a little recognition and $$$
A Korean only event with a sub fee in order to "support the Korean teams." Just seems wrong to me. I really really really dislike this "us vs. them" attitude and stuff like this just further enforces that. I'm a fan of equality, not singling out certain people and trying to help them while ignoring others.
Koreans actually have it pretty crappy. They basically have 2 tournaments to compete in (3 if you separate code A/S), despite the fact that 80% of them are better than top foreigners. The money made to skill ratio in korea is so much lower, they need more tournaments.
On February 10 2012 04:17 Ry-Masta-T wrote: Koreans actually have it pretty crappy. They basically have 2 tournaments to compete in (3 if you separate code A/S), despite the fact that 80% of them are better than top foreigners. The money made to skill ratio in korea is so much lower, they need more tournaments.
Your argument would be made more powerful if not for the large number of Koreans that participate in foreign tournaments. A Korean won 4 of the 5 MLG events they were invited to and came in second at Orlando. A Korean had a chance to win the main IPL3 event (but lost a ZvZ to Stephano). Won Blizzcon in '10 and '11. Won Dreamhack Winter '11. Won BOTH seasons of NASL. Won WCG '11. If Koreans weren't winning (and getting in the money, as to use a poker phrase) I could see that. As is, sorry. If a middling Korean wants more money they have various options in other teams that can put more money into their players.
On February 10 2012 04:17 Ry-Masta-T wrote: Koreans actually have it pretty crappy. They basically have 2 tournaments to compete in (3 if you separate code A/S), despite the fact that 80% of them are better than top foreigners. The money made to skill ratio in korea is so much lower, they need more tournaments.
There's more than that.
You have the GSL, you have the Korean Weekly, you have the KSL, and you have the EWM.
On top of that there are plenty of non-region locked tournaments that are purely online that Koreans can play in.
Top that off with Korean Invites to a lot of tournaments and you have quite a few opportunities.
On February 10 2012 01:33 Eee wrote: This is ran by SK Reis, who's the SK Gaming RTS manager. Might be some bad blood between oGs and SK after the MC transfer (It also seemed so from the Spunky statement). So that might be the reason they arent participating.
Don't think there is some bad blood between them since he is translating for supernova at iem sao paulo
That is what I'm wondering about. Why is he translating for nova when the sk/ogs partnership is over? SK.Supernova incoming?
because reis is a boss? i would like to read spunkys statement thou
It was a bit indirect, but it gave me the feeling that something didnt go as planned.
Our partnership with eSahara is more like what we had with sk-gaming during 2011. Although our business partnership did end a way I did not want it to towards the end with sk-gaming
On February 10 2012 07:32 FeyFey wrote: aww no 2v2, well its a korean event so thats as expected. Like before nice to see more tournaments in korea and goodluck with your new format.
Yeah, the KSL doesn't currently have any plans to involve 2v2 matches.