The IEM Dallas 2024 group stage has wrapped up, eliminating 10 teams and leaving the top 6 to advance to the playoffs. The event has captivated viewers with unexpected outcomes and is poised to become one of the most-watched tournaments in the series.
A standout surprise of the group stage was the winning streak of 9z Team. The top team from the South American regional qualifier, 9z Team, achieved consecutive victories over MOUZ, Team Liquid, and Team Vitality. Despite entering the tournament as underdogs ranked 40th in the international HLTV.org rankings, they defeated opponents ranked 1st, 11th, and 3rd. These impressive wins secured 9z Team first place in their group and a direct spot in the semifinals.
Another notable outcome was the early exit of Natus Vincere. The reigning Major champions only managed to defeat BIG and fell to Team Spirit and Heroic. Similarly, Team Falcons failed to make the playoffs again, losing to G2 Esports and Team Liquid.
The most popular match of the group stage was between Natus Vincere and Team Spirit, drawing over 291.9K peak viewers. Second most-watched match was between Team Spirit and FaZe Clan, with the winner advancing directly to the semifinals.
The high viewership for Team Spirit’s matches can be attributed to the highly active Russian-language community casting at IEM Dallas 2024. Team Spirit, one of the strongest Russian teams, has garnered more attention this year following their success at IEM Katowice 2024.
Group Stage
The group stage broadcasts of IEM Dallas 2024 accumulated 5.9 million hours watched, a 44% increase from last year. Average and peak viewership also saw significant growth, rising by 59% and 69%, respectively. The most popular group stage match, between Natus Vincere and Team Spirit, peaked at 291.9K viewers, compared to 175.8K for last year’s top match.
This surge in viewership for the IEM Dallas 2024 group stage is closely linked to the active community casting. Top streamers who didn’t cover the event last year are now broadcasting it, including ohnepixel, Tarik, sl4m, buster, Dmitry_Lixxx, IzakOOO, and others. Additionally, the official ESL English-language channel on YouTube has seen increased viewership. Argentine streamer forg1’s channel also grew significantly as viewers followed 9z Team’s success.
IEM Dallas 2024 is on track to become the most popular tournament in the series. It currently ranks second in peak viewership, behind only IEM Dallas 2022, which reached 430.5K PV. However, IEM Dallas 2024 has a strong chance of surpassing this record during the playoffs, especially if Team Spirit and FaZe Clan face off again in the grand final.
