The Professional Esports Association is trying to force CS:GO pro players to withdraw from EPL.

[CaptainFluffy]

[QUOTE]When the PEA was announced, our owners and Jason Katz, the PEA’s Commissioner, made it clear to the esports world that it was their goal to empower the players and collaborate with transparency.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE]Behind the scenes, the promises from the PEA were similar, but the mood among the players was more of openness and healthy skepticism than enthusiasm. This is because, as much as the PEA made it seem like the project was a collaboration, we actually weren’t really involved in its planning at all. Most of the players weren’t even informed of the PEA’s existence by their owners until the night before it was announced.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE]The PEA started hosting rules committee meetings in early November, and our player representatives started developing concerns about its voting structure right from the start.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE]On December 7th, Scott sent a letter on behalf of the players to the PEA and its team owners, expressing our concerns and seeking clarification about what we had heard. While we didn’t get a response until the next day, we later found out that just hours after receiving our letter, the PEA finally engaged in serious discussions with EPL for the first time. The problem was that none of the scenarios outlined by the PEA in those December 7th discussions involved its teams remaining in EPL. [B]The PEA proposed a plan in which EPL would be required to “vacate” North America, essentially leaving the region in the PEA’s control.[/B] As Jason Katz explained to Scott on December 8th, EPL could either accept the proposal, or the PEA would force us to withdraw from EPL and restrict us to playing in only the PEA league. [B]There it was: Jason had confirmed exactly what we were concerned about. One way or another, the PEA and our owners intended to prevent us from playing in EPL.[/B][/QUOTE]

[url]https://medium.com/@sirscootscs/an-open-letter-to-the-professional-esports-association-its-member-teams-and-the-counter-strike-db2fb8b55f75#.voivi0mjg[/url]

Twenty five players from five different teams have signed this. And it looks like TeamSoloMid isn't happy, as they're currently trying to replace one of their players over this.

[url]https://twitter.com/seangares/status/812115565133250561[/url]

[Miya]

For those not familiar, EPL is ESL i think.

had to google search that since i never saw it called that.

Basically think of it as a more international and broader MLG. [url]https://www.eslgaming.com/[/url]

[conco]

Absolute bullshit. I find it ridiculous that players can be treated like this and more abhorrent that team owners agreed to these contracts

[goon165]

[QUOTE=chuck14;51571255]Absolute bullshit. I find it ridiculous that players can be treated like this and more abhorrent that team owners agreed to these contracts[/QUOTE]

I suppose it's only natural, even though it's gained ground, Esports is still not really considered a thing on par with what people would consider 'legitimate' sports. So realistically speaking I don't think the people who manage these things up top really look at this very far past a really popular sideshow attraction. There's not much weight to throw around it in because it's so comparatively new and underdeveloped, very little direct legal regulation, and they're in it to make money. And when they see a real chance to make money, they go do it, and the players get thrown under the bus. Which is at the end of the day their own fault for signing such absurd contracts that let people get away with this, and also not really their fault because this is the only way to get ahead in this profession. And if they want it: This is what they have to put up with.

Cyberathelets are circus hounds.