BLAST Premier: Spring Groups 2024 – Key Takeaways
The BLAST Premier: Spring Groups 2024 concluded in Copenhagen, Denmark, with FaZe Clan, Natus Vincere, Virtus.pro, and Team Vitality topping their groups for direct qualification to the season final. G2 Esports and Astralis won the Play-In Stage to join them, earning cash prizes and BLAST Premier points.
Key Stats:
- 328.7K Peak Viewers during the G2 Esports vs. NAVI clash.
- 12.1M Hours Watched and 169.7K Average Viewers over around 72 hours of airtime.
- Only one game passed the 300K Peak Viewers mark.
- The modified format reduced airtime by over 14 hours while maintaining watch time.
- English was the dominant language on Twitch, but there was a rise in Portuguese and Russian viewership.
- Ukrainian viewership saw a significant 66.6% increase.
- New languages like Kazakh were added to the broadcast.
Qualification and Prizes:
- FaZe Clan, Natus Vincere, Virtus.pro, and Team Vitality qualified directly for the season final.
- G2 Esports and Astralis won the Play-In Stage to secure spots in the main round of the season finals.
- Each qualifying team received $22.5K and 2.4K BLAST Premier points.
- G2 Esports and Astralis earned $12.5K and 1.8K BLAST Premier points each.
Format and Schedule:
- The tournament featured 16 teams from Europe and North America.
- The BLAST Premier: Spring Showdown 2024 will take place from March 6 to 10, determining the final two slots at the BLAST Premier: Spring Final 2024 (June 12 to 16).
Viewership Trends:
- English and Twitch dominated the viewership, with BLAST.tv and Vietnamese making notable appearances.
- Portuguese viewership rose, and the addition of Kazakh to the broadcast list was observed.
- Ukrainian viewership increased by 66.6%.
Overall Assessment:
- Despite a modified format, the viewership numbers remained consistent with the previous year.
- The reduced airtime and manageable drop in peak concurrent viewership were notable improvements.
- Regional changes in interest levels among specific language speakers were observed.
The BLAST Premier: Spring Groups 2024 showcased competitive Counter-Strike 2 action, maintaining strong viewership across various platforms and languages. The tournament’s success sets the stage for an exciting year in the esports scene.
