In the fast-paced world of esports, where digital prowess meets global competition, events serve as the battlegrounds where champions are crowned, legacies are forged, and fandoms unite. Amidst the myriad of tournaments, leagues, and championships, those organized by third-party entities stand out as a crucial part of the esports ecosystem. In this article, we delve into the most popular esports events, spotlighting the most notable third-party event organizers and the disciplines in which they operate.
Behind the scenes of esports, a diverse array of third-party organizers meticulously craft and orchestrate events that elevate competitive gaming to unparalleled heights. From LAN tournaments to sprawling online cups, these events showcase the pinnacle of skill, strategy, and spectacle that define esports. The presence of third-party events provides much-needed choice to esports professionals, allowing them to compete in whichever tournaments they please, as the rich industry of event organizers offers many alternatives to official developer-related events.
Throughout this piece, we will highlight the most successful tournaments of esports’ leading third-party event organizers. These organizers have left a substantial mark on many esports titles with their prestigious events, many of which have garnered peak viewership in the seven-figure range.
PGL BEST TOURNAMENTS BY VIEWERSHIP
| RANKING BY PV | EVENT NAME | PEAK VIEWERS |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | PGL Major Stockholm 2021 | 2,748,434 |
| #2 | The International 10 | 2,741,514 |
| #3 | PGL Major Antwerp 2022 | 2,113,610 |
PGL, standing tall as one of the foremost pioneers in esports event organization, has left an indelible mark on the competitive gaming landscape. With almost a decade of history hosting and organizing Counter-Strike tournaments, the company has become Counter-Strike’s uncontested most popular event organizer. Three of PGL’s tournaments make up Counter-Strike’s top three most popular events by peak concurrent viewership.
With a portfolio boasting iconic events such as the Dota 2 Major Championships, CS:GO Majors, and the renowned PUBG Global Invitational, PGL has consistently hosted world-class esports events. The company has ventured into a variety of esports disciplines and found high viewership and fans within each. One of the keys to PGL’s success has been its extremely lucrative working relationship with Valve. Valve, the developers of Dota 2 and Counter-Strike, have often partnered with PGL to host their yearly Major events.
PGL Major
PGL’s most popular tournament remains the PGL Major Stockholm 2021 for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The tournament remains to this date PGL’s most expensive tournament ever with a prize pool of $2M, and it is still Counter-Strike’s single most popular tournament ever. It was the only Major for Counter-Strike on the calendar in 2021, and PGL’s first time hosting a CS Major in four years. PGL most recently organized the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 for Valve, and the Major event was a wild success. As CS2’s first Major, many fans tuned in, and it became the third-most popular CS tournament ever with 1.85M PV.
On top of their close work with Valve within Counter-Strike’s titles, PGL has also collaborated to host Dota 2 events. PGL has collaborated with Valve since 2017 to organize The International, the year’s premiere world championship event. The International 10, the collaborative event, recorded 2.74M PV, Dota 2’s most popular event ever. PGL has also hosted Majors for Dota 2 on their own; the PGL Arlington Major 2022, an exclusively PGL’s work, received 707.9K PV for its grand final match.
BLAST BEST TOURNAMENTS BY VIEWERSHIP
| RANKING BY PV | EVENT NAME | PEAK VIEWERS |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 | 1,528,724 |
| #2 | BLAST Premier Fall 2021 Finals | 861,383 |
| #3 | BLAST Premier Spring 2022 Finals | 762,885 |
BLAST is a notable player in the esports event organizing sphere, making a considerable impact on competitive gaming. Known best for their Counter-Strike events, BLAST Premier has introduced dynamic approaches to esports competitions. Hosting well-received events like the BLAST Premier Global Final and the BLAST Premier Spring and Fall series, the organization consistently delivers engaging matches to global audiences.
With a focus on viewer interaction and player experience, the Danish esports league has established itself as a leading figure in the esports industry. The league was launched in 2020, and although it suffered a hindered start due to the COVID pandemic, it found its footing within the industry and has since become a significant league for many esports disciplines. BLAST Premier’s influence on the esports landscape is evident, underscoring its role in shaping the industry’s evolution.
Blast TV
BLAST’s most notable contribution to esports was their BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023. The event was the year’s sole official Valve-sponsored Major for Counter-Strike, and CS:GO’s final Major. The release date for Counter-Strike 2 was announced ahead of the tournament, signaling that this would be the final Major for Global Offensive. Players came hungry for one last piece of glory in Global Offensive, and a massive number of fans tuned in for the final page of CS:GO’s story.
The Parisian Major ultimately received 1.53M PV, making it one of the most popular CS:GO Majors to date. Apart from this highly successful collaboration with Valve, BLAST also hosts its own tournaments for the top-tier Counter-Strike scene.
Both the Fall 2021 Finals and Spring 2022 Finals brought together some of the world’s top teams to a LAN event with $425K up for grabs in prizes. The events are some of Counter-Strike’s most popular third-party tournaments ever hosted, excluding the Intel Extreme Masters event series. In late 2022, BLAST launched BLAST.tv, its independent streaming service. The platform hosts offline and live content for Counter-Strike fans, highlighting BLAST’s devotion to creating enjoyable esports content.