BLAST Premier is broadening its affiliate team program, welcoming four new teams: Falcons, GamerLegion, Team Spirit, and Virtus. Pro. These additions will boost the number of affiliate teams by 33%, totaling 16. These teams will now participate in all future BLAST Premier competitions, including the Spring and Fall Groups, which have been modified to accommodate the enlarged roster.
The updated format for the Spring and Fall Groups will see sixteen teams competing, six of which will progress to the finals of each season while the remaining ten will enter the showdowns. Adjustments include:
- Two best-of-three matches are added to each group stage.
- Elimination of extraneous matches.
- An increase of the prize pool to $190,000 for each of the Spring and Fall Groups.
No changes are planned for the Spring or Fall Groups schedule. The structure and scheduling of the Spring, Fall, and World Finals remain untouched.
The revamped BLAST Premier Showdown, revealed in November 2023, will now consist of 10 teams from the combined Spring and Fall Groups, complemented by six teams from Regional Qualifiers, making up a 16-team contest.
Additionally, the 2024 BLAST Premier season will welcome a fifth new affiliate team as Cloud9 acquired Evil Geniuses' affiliate slot at the close of the 2023 season.
