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Active: 8547 users

GSL prize money distribution too top end loaded?

Forum Index > Closed
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Cocoabean
Profile Joined September 2010
Canada90 Posts
October 20 2010 13:43 GMT
#1
Was looking at the cash awards for the GSL, and it seems way too winner/runner-up heavy. I think that this prohibits a lot of top end foreigners from taking part in the tournament, and subsequently limits the amount of international development of the game and tournament itself rather severely.

Looking at the following numbers:

Winner: 100,000,000 KRW (aprox. $85,700 USD)
Runner-Up: 30,000,000 KRW (aprox. $25,700 USD)
Semi-Finalists: 10,000,000 KRW (aprox. $8,600 USD)
Quarter-Finalists: 4,000,000 KRW (aprox. $3,400 USD)
Round of 16: 2,000,000 KRW (aprox. $1710 USD)
Round of 32: 500,000 KRW (aprox. $430 USD)
Round of 64: 300,000 KRW (aprox. $260 USD)

For a foreigner like Morrow/QXC/WhiteRa/etc. to compete, they'd have to permanently move to Korea like TLO or Haypro. Otherwise, one cannot even financially be able to sustain more than 1-2 tournaments(months) at any given time. Taking an approximate cost of $1000 USD for a roundtrip flight from an international city to Korea, and factor in living expenses, you'd have to at least make the Quarter-Finals to make it a worthwhile.

I think it'd be a healthier option for GOM/Blizzard to spread out that Winner amount down to through Round of 64. Even something like $50k USD for 1st, $25k for 2nd would be enough to make it a healthier distribution while giving out the same amount of money. In no way does this affect GOM/Blizzard financially, but would definitely attract dozens of top tier foreign players to go over and compete.

For example, through 2 months in Korea, fan-favourite Liquid`TLO has made ~$700 USD off the GSL. Without a clan like Liquid supporting him, he'd be better off making $6 an hour at McDonalds. And this is considering that TLO is arguably a top 32 player in the world........

What do you guys think?

tl;dr version: In order to make the GSL more viable to more foreign pro sc2 gamers, would you think that breaking up the top end GSL money amounts to the rest of the bracket be a good decision?
www.twitch.tv/cocoabeans
Baarn
Profile Joined April 2010
United States2702 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-10-20 13:51:42
October 20 2010 13:45 GMT
#2
Already had a thread up discussing this a few days ago. Looks like a repost of the same thread. I think the bottom brackets should be put into the ro16 prize pool btw since killing the main marketing tool for the tournament is retarded.
There's no S in KT. :P
newHABIT
Profile Joined January 2005
Sweden112 Posts
October 20 2010 13:46 GMT
#3
I think they'll change the cash award in some way, so that it'll draw some more attention to the... lesser pro players not living in/near korea (Or however you will call it) since the cashpool is so big there's rly no need to have THAT kind of a difference.
Cocoabean
Profile Joined September 2010
Canada90 Posts
October 20 2010 13:46 GMT
#4
Well then disregard this post. Sorry, should've checked ahead of time
www.twitch.tv/cocoabeans
Cade
Profile Joined August 2010
Canada1420 Posts
October 20 2010 13:47 GMT
#5
I think the distribution now is pretty much perfect
zeru
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
8156 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-10-20 13:53:56
October 20 2010 13:53 GMT
#6
--- Nuked ---
Achilles
Profile Joined August 2010
Canada385 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-10-20 13:58:23
October 20 2010 13:58 GMT
#7
Nope it's fair and the discrepancy between "foreigners" (stupid term) and Koreans is not as large as you think. The GSL should tour to other countries though.
[rS]Gluske // http://www.rsgaming.com // Troku[tC]
NoXious90
Profile Joined September 2010
United Kingdom160 Posts
October 20 2010 14:03 GMT
#8
there needs to be more than one tournament in order for starcraft 2 to grow in korea
DexVitality
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
Hong Kong234 Posts
February 07 2011 07:56 GMT
#9
I would have to agree that the prize pool is way front/top loaded. I remember superdanielman saying that SC2 in Korea still isn't that strong or as strong as SC and its the fact that two few people can actually live off of playing starcraft 2 and looking at the prize money distribution I can see why.

I do think 50k for 1st and 25k for 2nd is already quite good for a tournament that lasts 1 month and so if they can make the prize money more distributed they can get more players to try and come into the mix.

I'll go ahead and bump this and ask if there have been any talks at all about a new distribution... cause more and more foreign players are wanting to go over to Korea and... money is pretty important to stay there...
HkeSports: Tournament Coordinator Twitter: @DexVitalitY | Master League Protoss SC2 / Diamond LoL Player / Rank 6 HS Noobie
Kantutan
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
Canada1319 Posts
February 07 2011 08:01 GMT
#10
Um............ http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/2011_Sony_Ericsson_Global_StarCraft_II_League_January#Prize_Pool

The new distribution is already quite good.
Buddhist
Profile Joined April 2010
United States658 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-02-07 08:06:21
February 07 2011 08:02 GMT
#11
Well since it's been necro'd: Yes, obviously the prize pool is too top heavy.

I mean, really, it's a bit absurd.

Doesn't seem they're changing it though.

Edit: Wow, I didn't realize how little the code A players make. Sheesh. But yeah, #1 and #2 in Code S make sooooooooooooooooo much more than RO4.

Basically I think about it this way: The Champion wins 10 times as much as a semifinalist. Is the champion 10 times as skilled? Has he worked 10 times as hard? Obviously not. Of course you want the incentive to be a bit disproportionately high, but come on.
LoLAdriankat
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
United States4307 Posts
February 07 2011 08:04 GMT
#12
On February 07 2011 17:01 Kantutan wrote:
Um............ http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/2011_Sony_Ericsson_Global_StarCraft_II_League_January#Prize_Pool

The new distribution is already quite good.

For code S players, I'd say yeah, distribution is pretty good. Code A is debatable, but I agree with the distribution because you don't exactly want some guy who got the easy qualification route to the Ro32 of Code A to get some nice cash.
BLinD-RawR
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
ALLEYCAT BLUES51701 Posts
February 07 2011 08:05 GMT
#13
but players still get paid salary regardless of their performance in the GSL.
Brood War EICWoo Jung Ho, never forget.| Twitter: @BLinDRawR
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