Pro CS2 players and enthusiasts are advocating for Valve to host a Major tournament in Australia, inspired by the success of IEM Sydney.
IEM Sydney marked a significant event in the world of CS2 esports, creating an electrifying atmosphere thanks to an enthusiastic crowd, which greatly enhanced the overall experience for all involved. With the conclusion of the event, there’s now a collective call for Valve to organize what could be Australia’s first-ever Major tournament.
Even seasoned players like karrigan, who has been a part of the Counter-Strike scene since the days of 1.6, were genuinely impressed by the spectacle that unfolded in the audience at IEM Sydney. The Danish player engaged with the crowd during FaZe Clan’s matches and, post-tournament, he made an earnest plea to Valve to grant Australia the privilege of hosting a Major.
What works in favor of the Australian audience is their capacity to create an engaging atmosphere for all competing teams, despite none of the Australian teams making it to the playoffs, and Australia’s top player, Justin “jks” Savage, not reaching the grand finals. In contrast, the Brazilian crowd, while passionate, primarily showcased their enthusiasm when local teams were in action.
Naturally, one of the potential hurdles in bringing a Major tournament of this magnitude to Australia is the issue of time zones. The matches would occur at inconvenient hours for Western audiences. Nonetheless, Australian fans have come up with a solution to this concern.
“Some Major should be held in Perth, with a seven-hour time difference from Europe. A 4.30 pm start time (akin to IEM Sydney) would translate to 9.30 am in Europe, 9.30 pm on the U.S. East Coast, and 6.30 pm on the U.S. West Coast,” one fan suggested on Reddit. Others concurred and even proposed that Perth should become Australia’s official esports hub.
Valve has the opportunity to bring a Major tournament to Australia in 2024, especially since the location for the second CS2 Major remains undecided. The first CS2 Major is scheduled to take place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in early 2024.