Report says B Site signs six franchise teams for March start

An exclusive ESPN investigation reveals that six prominent esports organizations have finalized contractual agreements to participate in the upcoming “B Site” competitive league, according to confidential sources familiar with the negotiations.

Scheduled for a March 2020 debut that directly competes with the established ESL Pro League schedule, the innovative team-owned circuit operating under the project codename “B Site” has secured commitments from six founding franchises, each acquiring partial ownership equity in the league structure, as detailed in the comprehensive report. The confirmed participating organizations reportedly encompass the following roster:

• Cloud9
• MIBR
• Gen.G
• Dignitas
• MAD Lions
• c0ntact Gaming

Notably, ESPN’s documentation references c0ntact Gaming using their previous organizational identity CR4ZY. c0ntact gaming publicly disclosed their acquisition of CR4ZY’s complete Counter-Strike competitive roster just last week. Additionally, no corporate filings have emerged from c0ntact since the entity registered intellectual property protections for the Paris Legion Call of Duty League franchise in October 2019.

Assuming the report’s accuracy, these developments indicate that participating organizations have either completed payment or committed to B Site’s substantial $2 million franchise entry fee, granting them participation in the league’s comprehensive revenue distribution system and obtaining equity ownership positions within the league’s corporate framework.

Cloud9 President Dan Fiden and prominent esports analyst Duncan “Thorin” Shields have emerged as the primary public representatives for B Site throughout the preceding week, despite the absence of any formal league announcement. Both individuals played significant roles during a particularly eventful weekend for the CS:GO community that witnessed escalating tensions between ESL and B Site regarding control over Counter-Strike’s premier tournament ecosystem.

Established tournament organizer FACEIT has been contracted to handle production responsibilities for B Site and initiated operational activities in this capacity last week when the official ECS Twitter account published a confirmed talent roster scheduled to participate in the league’s inaugural season.

Following eight successful competitive seasons, FACEIT suspended operations of the Esports Championship Series to focus on producing North America’s emerging tournament circuit, likely responding to increasing industry concerns that ECS would face insurmountable competition from the ESL Pro Tour, Blast Premier, and the newly formed B Site league.

After a weekend characterized by significant volatility within the Counter-Strike competitive community, the disclosed team roster appears to contradict assertions made by league spokesperson Thorin claiming that B Site had already secured victory in the ongoing “talent acquisition conflicts.”

While established organizations like Cloud9 and MIBR possess global brand recognition and marketing reach, the only additional franchise delivering substantial competitive value appears to be Dignitas. The storied organization recently marked its return to CS:GO competition by reassembling the legendary original Ninjas in Pyjamas championship core lineup, featuring iconic players includingPatrik “f0rest” Lindberg, Christopher “GeT_RiGhT” Alesund, Adam “friberg” Friberg, and Richard “Xizt” Landström. Former NiP professional and strategic leader Robin “fifflaren”Johansson rejoins his former teammates in the capacity of Dignitas’ head coaching position.

Irrespective of brand visibility and player popularity considerations, B Site currently faces a significant competitive deficit with no member organization ranked within the global top ten of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive competitive standings. MIBR presently stands as the highest-rated team scheduled to compete in B Site, positioned at number 14 in worldwide rankings.

A premier competitive league fundamentally requires elite-level talent to attract substantial viewership engagement. Without capturing audience attention from enthusiasts eager to watch matches between teams positioned in Counter-Strike’s top competitive echelons, B Site may encounter considerable challenges in establishing market presence and sustainable viewership metrics.

In what appears to be developing into a consistent pattern surrounding B Site information dissemination, the majority of announcements and operational developments concerning the league have originated from sourced journalistic reports rather than official organizational communications. When individuals associated with B Site discuss league developments, they consistently reference these reports as established facts and frequently reinforce information contained within them.

The league organization anticipates commencing operations sometime during March and will directly schedule conflicts with ESL’s premier competitive circuit tournament, Pro League. Pro League administration recently disclosed the elimination of 24 teams from Pro League competition but neglected to inform affected organizations before the public announcement, generating substantial community backlash and criticism from professional competitors.

For teams considering participation in emerging leagues, strategic timing analysis becomes crucial. Organizations must evaluate scheduling conflicts, travel requirements, and player fatigue management when committing to additional competitive circuits. The strategic decision to compete directly against established tournaments represents both a bold market positioning move and a substantial competitive gamble that will determine B Site’s long-term viability within the increasingly crowded CS:GO tournament landscape.

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