• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 06:30
CET 11:30
KST 19:30
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
ByuL: The Forgotten Master of ZvT29Behind the Blue - Team Liquid History Book19Clem wins HomeStory Cup 289HomeStory Cup 28 - Info & Preview13Rongyi Cup S3 - Preview & Info8
Community News
Blizzard Classic Cup - Tastosis announced as captains3Weekly Cups (March 2-8): ByuN overcomes PvT block4GSL CK - New online series14BSL Season 224Vitality ends partnership with ONSYDE20
StarCraft 2
General
GSL CK - New online series Weekly Cups (March 2-8): ByuN overcomes PvT block Blizzard Classic Cup - Tastosis announced as captains Weekly Cups (Feb 23-Mar 1): herO doubles, 2v2 bonanza Vitality ends partnership with ONSYDE
Tourneys
Master Swan Open (Global Bronze-Master 2) RSL Season 4 announced for March-April Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament PIG STY FESTIVAL 7.0! (19 Feb - 1 Mar) $5,000 WardiTV Winter Championship 2026
Strategy
Custom Maps
Publishing has been re-enabled! [Feb 24th 2026] Map Editor closed ?
External Content
The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 516 Specter of Death Mutation # 515 Together Forever Mutation # 514 Ulnar New Year
Brood War
General
Recent recommended BW games ASL21 General Discussion BSL 22 Map Contest — Submissions OPEN to March 10 BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BSL Season 22
Tourneys
IPSL Spring 2026 is here! ASL Season 21 Qualifiers March 7-8 [Megathread] Daily Proleagues BWCL Season 64 Announcement
Strategy
Soma's 9 hatch build from ASL Game 2 Fighting Spirit mining rates Simple Questions, Simple Answers Zealot bombing is no longer popular?
Other Games
General Games
Nintendo Switch Thread PC Games Sales Thread Path of Exile No Man's Sky (PS4 and PC) Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion The Story of Wings Gaming
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas Vanilla Mini Mafia TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Mexico's Drug War Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Russo-Ukrainian War Thread YouTube Thread
Fan Clubs
The IdrA Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
[Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books [Manga] One Piece
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion General nutrition recommendations Cricket [SPORT] TL MMA Pick'em Pool 2013
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Laptop capable of using Photoshop Lightroom?
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Iranian anarchists: organize…
XenOsky
FS++
Kraekkling
Shocked by a laser…
Spydermine0240
Gaming-Related Deaths
TrAiDoS
Unintentional protectionism…
Uldridge
ASL S21 English Commentary…
namkraft
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 2500 users

How much of a cut does blizzard get from tourny?

Forum Index > SC2 General
Post a Reply
1 2 3 4 5 22 23 24 Next All
roymarthyup
Profile Joined April 2010
1442 Posts
October 12 2011 11:11 GMT
#1
This thought crossed my mind recently. MLG orlando is coming up soon and i was thinking. How much of the proffits of MLG actually go to blizzard?

I mean it seems unfair. If blizzard wants to make their own tournament they can, but they automatically get part of the profits of every other tournament instead of that money going to the players?

A tournament needs to survive, so if blizzard is taking a cut of the profits that really is taking a cut of what the players should be getting. The tournament isnt going to risk itself when it comes to money, its going to just reduce what it gives to the players in order to survive as long as blizzard is taking a cut.

I know its blizzards game. But in this environment what would be stopping a competitor from maybe making a better or equal game and then letting any tournament use that game free of charge with the thought that game sales would be enough to fund the company and you wouldnt need to take a cut from all the tournaments.

Then esports would switch to that game because 1) its better, or maybe its equal and 2) the tournaments no longer need to pay a large part of their money to the company. This way tournaments for that game could keep more money for themselves and give more money to the players.
ssartor
Profile Joined February 2011
United States129 Posts
October 12 2011 11:16 GMT
#2
I was under the impression that blizzard does not get a cut from tournaments. I could be wrong though.
"If you don't know, the thing to do is not to get scared, but to learn." — Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged)
NtroP
Profile Joined July 2010
United States174 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-10-12 11:23:11
October 12 2011 11:22 GMT
#3
Any tournament with a prize pool over a certain amount is required to pay blizz a significant chunk of all add revenue.

*edit

Being unspecific as I don't know if it's public knowledge or not.
NunedQ
Profile Joined March 2011
Germany235 Posts
October 12 2011 11:23 GMT
#4
yeah, if the prize pool is over 5k, Blizzard gets half (i think) of the ad revenue.
mnck
Profile Joined April 2010
Denmark1518 Posts
October 12 2011 11:24 GMT
#5
Some facts and some sources would be nice. Otherwise this discussion seems pretty pointless!
@Munck
pPingu
Profile Joined September 2011
Switzerland2892 Posts
October 12 2011 11:25 GMT
#6
On October 12 2011 20:24 mnck wrote:
Some facts and some sources would be nice. Otherwise this discussion seems pretty pointless!


TB limits his tournaments prizepool to 5000 to don't have to pay a part of the tournament money to blizzard.
ShoCK77
Profile Joined September 2010
45 Posts
October 12 2011 11:27 GMT
#7
On October 12 2011 20:25 pPingu wrote:
Show nested quote +
On October 12 2011 20:24 mnck wrote:
Some facts and some sources would be nice. Otherwise this discussion seems pretty pointless!


TB limits his tournaments prizepool to 5000 to don't have to pay a part of the tournament money to blizzard.


yeah i think this is why MLG 1st place also gets 5000$
True_Spike
Profile Joined July 2004
Poland3426 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-10-12 11:30:45
October 12 2011 11:30 GMT
#8
On October 12 2011 20:27 yannick wrote:
Show nested quote +
On October 12 2011 20:25 pPingu wrote:
On October 12 2011 20:24 mnck wrote:
Some facts and some sources would be nice. Otherwise this discussion seems pretty pointless!


TB limits his tournaments prizepool to 5000 to don't have to pay a part of the tournament money to blizzard.


yeah i think this is why MLG 1st place also gets 5000$


Total prize pool exceeds 5k though, so that cannot be the reason behind such a low prize pool (low for an event of such magnitude).
Tonem
Profile Joined January 2011
Australia91 Posts
October 12 2011 11:32 GMT
#9
I swear I read on the battlenet forums somewhere that they take half the prize pool for tourneys over $5k, but half the ad revenue makes a lot more sense lol.
CatNzHat
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
United States1599 Posts
October 12 2011 11:34 GMT
#10
You have to purchase a license to run a tourney with a big ass prize pool (like the GSL). The contract for that license involves a decent chunk of change and some advertising I believe (the blizzard sign on the caster's desk at the GSL).

ineq
Profile Joined March 2011
Sweden376 Posts
October 12 2011 11:34 GMT
#11
On October 12 2011 20:27 yannick wrote:
Show nested quote +
On October 12 2011 20:25 pPingu wrote:
On October 12 2011 20:24 mnck wrote:
Some facts and some sources would be nice. Otherwise this discussion seems pretty pointless!


TB limits his tournaments prizepool to 5000 to don't have to pay a part of the tournament money to blizzard.


yeah i think this is why MLG 1st place also gets 5000$


It's a matter of the total prizepool, not 1st place only.
HerO - iNcontroL - DeMusliM - TaeJa - JaeDong
ReaperX
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
Hong Kong1758 Posts
October 12 2011 11:36 GMT
#12
Apparently 50% of Ad Revenue.
Artosis : Clide. idrA : Shut up.
mki
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
Poland882 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-10-12 11:38:25
October 12 2011 11:37 GMT
#13
Not sure how much it is in the states. Polish tournament organizers told me it's 10-15% from the entire prize pool IF it's over 5,000 USD.
Head of New Business at Team Kinguin :: https://www.teamkinguin.com
aebriol
Profile Joined April 2010
Norway2066 Posts
October 12 2011 11:38 GMT
#14
Well, as long as 'ad revenue' doesn't include 'partnership revenue' it seems fair. If it includes all income, it sounds high. Wonder what's included.
xBillehx
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States1289 Posts
October 12 2011 11:38 GMT
#15
Anyone who knows is under NDA so the exact details for what Blizzard gets won't be public knowledge. That said, SC2 tournaments are showing up all over so clearly it isn't impacting these leagues bad enough for them to not want to throw one.
Taengoo ♥
Loxley
Profile Blog Joined April 2011
Netherlands2480 Posts
October 12 2011 11:39 GMT
#16
Could anyone point towards a source for the 50% cut? I've read it here now 4 times already without a source.. Before this turns into a "its 50%, look at the first page -.-"
월요 날 재미있
ineq
Profile Joined March 2011
Sweden376 Posts
October 12 2011 11:39 GMT
#17
On October 12 2011 20:38 aebriol wrote:
Well, as long as 'ad revenue' doesn't include 'partnership revenue' it seems fair. If it includes all income, it sounds high. Wonder what's included.


It's Ad revenue.
HerO - iNcontroL - DeMusliM - TaeJa - JaeDong
Ruscour
Profile Blog Joined April 2011
5233 Posts
October 12 2011 11:39 GMT
#18
It is NOT always 50% of ad revenue. It is assessed in a case-by-case basis, 50% of ad revenue seems to be the standard for DreamHack and MLG I believe were the two that was stated for. It's certainly not for everything however.
suejak
Profile Joined March 2010
Japan545 Posts
October 12 2011 11:40 GMT
#19
Lots of empty-looking BS in this thread. Anybody have a source?
Are you human?
roymarthyup
Profile Joined April 2010
1442 Posts
October 12 2011 11:41 GMT
#20
sigh thinking more and more about this makes me so sad at how blizzard is turning into this gigantic soulless corporation. i know not everything is soulless, but this one concept is just insane how they take the money that comes from other peoples hard work of creating and running a tournament

im high masters practicing alot cuz i wanna compete in tournamants for fun but i dunno how i feel about supporting such a concept... i just dont feel its fair for blizzard to take cuts from tournaments that they didnt create and build

i hope some company comes around and designs a super good esports game and doesnt charge money for tournaments to use it

or heck, blizzard with its billions of dollars should simply buy-out MLG and gomtv and every other tournament and simply run it themselves, and by that i mean blizzard would also be buying out all the employees of those other companies and having them run it for them.

I could actually support such a concept. If blizzard is running its own tournament, then sure, it gets all the money from it. I find that fair. And if blizzard buys out all the tournaments then it would make sense for them to get all the revenue from it. I see no problem with that.

But what blizzard is doing is taking cuts of tournament profits without buying out those tournaments... They are getting a cut of other peoples hard work... Sigh this concept i dont know if i can bring myself to support it
1 2 3 4 5 22 23 24 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
GSL
10:00
GSL CK - Day 1
CranKy Ducklings SOOP59
Rex16
Liquipedia
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
ProTech113
herO (Afreeca) 25
Rex 16
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 16537
Horang2 5923
Hyuk 1539
Flash 1065
Jaedong 997
actioN 361
Shuttle 270
Rush 206
Mini 187
ZerO 186
[ Show more ]
Mong 177
Pusan 144
Hyun 136
Light 124
EffOrt 123
JYJ 112
Leta 106
Soma 104
Killer 83
Last 76
ToSsGirL 52
Sharp 48
Mind 43
Barracks 37
Backho 32
sSak 30
Nal_rA 27
soO 27
NotJumperer 22
yabsab 18
sorry 13
GoRush 12
SilentControl 8
Dota 2
XaKoH 412
XcaliburYe78
canceldota27
febbydoto7
League of Legends
KnowMe84
Counter-Strike
olofmeister1784
shoxiejesuss904
Super Smash Bros
Mew2King68
Other Games
ceh9521
Pyrionflax160
Fuzer 154
crisheroes141
ToD86
ZerO(Twitch)10
Organizations
Dota 2
PGL Dota 2 - Main Stream11776
Other Games
gamesdonequick988
StarCraft: Brood War
lovetv 13
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 15 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Berry_CruncH290
• LUISG 44
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• iopq 5
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• Jankos2162
• Stunt1390
Upcoming Events
WardiTV Team League
1h 30m
The PondCast
23h 30m
WardiTV Team League
1d 1h
Replay Cast
1d 13h
Replay Cast
2 days
CranKy Ducklings
2 days
RSL Revival
2 days
WardiTV Team League
3 days
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
3 days
BSL
3 days
[ Show More ]
Sparkling Tuna Cup
3 days
RSL Revival
3 days
WardiTV Team League
4 days
BSL
4 days
Replay Cast
4 days
Replay Cast
4 days
Wardi Open
5 days
Monday Night Weeklies
5 days
WardiTV Team League
6 days
GSL
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Spring Cup 2026
WardiTV Winter 2026
Underdog Cup #3

Ongoing

KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 1
Jeongseon Sooper Cup
BSL Season 22
RSL Revival: Season 4
Nations Cup 2026
ESL Pro League S23 Stage 1&2
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
IEM Kraków 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter Qual

Upcoming

CSL Elite League 2026
ASL Season 21
Acropolis #4 - TS6
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
CSLAN 4
HSC XXIX
uThermal 2v2 2026 Main Event
Bellum Gens Elite Stara Zagora 2026
NationLESS Cup
CS Asia Championships 2026
Asian Champions League 2026
IEM Atlanta 2026
PGL Astana 2026
BLAST Rivals Spring 2026
CCT Season 3 Global Finals
IEM Rio 2026
PGL Bucharest 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 1
BLAST Open Spring 2026
ESL Pro League S23 Finals
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.