ESL dispensed $2.5 million in eSports prizes last year, 2014 events teased

The Electronic Sports League has revealed that it doled out some $2.5 million in prize funds throughout 2013, and has teased its 2014 eSports program with a new Counter-Strike: Global Offensive event.

In a press release sent to VG247 today, the ESL confirmed that in 2013, its events saw players from 190 countries competing for their share of the combined $2.5 million prize pot. Events were streamed in 25 languages and saw the league enjoy its biggest year to date.

In 2014, the ESL will host the EMS One Katowice CS:GO Championship at the IEM World Championships Katowice, in Poland. A $250,000 prize pool will be up for grabs.

ESL CEO Ralf Reichert said in a statement, "The last 12 months have brought about enormous changes in the eSports landscape. With production quality reaching ever-high levels and viewership growing at immense rates, public discussion has shifted away from critical evaluation of eSports to the simple question of ‘how fast will it continue to grow?’

"Building on over a decade of hard work from our team, this year was simply explosive and when I look at the numbers it is mind blowing to see how far we have come and what we have achieved. More defining than the numbers, for me however, were the moments; such as seeing 12,000 people going crazy in our first filled sports stadium in Katowice.

"It is these moments that we aim to replicate and expand upon in 2014. We at ESL are excited and eager for the new year in which we hope to fill more stadiums and to deliver legendary eSports moments to the many fans that have made this all possible.”

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