Part of the prize money at ESL tournaments will now go to the clubs

The tournament operator ESL has announced changes to the prize money distribution system for its Dota 2 championships. From now on, the prize pool will include both rewards for players and a separate reward for clubs.

The new system will take effect at the upcoming ESL events - DreamLeague Season 25, ESL One Raleigh 2025 and DreamLeague Season 26. The prize pool for each of these events is $1,000,000. 25% of that amount ($250,000) will be paid to the teams, with the remaining $750,000 going to the players.

Representatives of the organization explained the purpose behind introducing these changes:

“With the departure of the DPC, the Dota 2 ecosystem has evolved into a third-party ecosystem, which we are grateful to contribute to. However, this also means that teams have lost some of the avenues for direct monetization that they once had available to them.

We believe that players can achieve their highest potential when supported by both passionate fans and well-organized club support structures. To support the development of this environment, we are implementing a system designed to benefit both clubs and players”

Additionally, ESL noted that the prize distribution among tournament placements will also change to provide better support for teams and stacks that qualify for the event but do not secure the top spots. According to the tournament operator, this will encourage players and relieve them from financial pressure.

DreamLeague Season 25 will take place online from February 16 to March 2. ESL One Raleigh 2025 will be held from April 7 to 13 in Raleigh, USA. DreamLeague Season 26 is scheduled for May 19 to June 1. 

As CyberScore previously reported, announced the results of the ESL investigation into the abuse of the Smoke of Deceit bug.