ESL Pro League Season 3 explained

ESL Pro League
Sport:
Year:	2016
Location:	London, United Kingdom
Start Date:	February 9, 2016
End Date:	May 15, 2016.
Administrator:	Electronic Sports League (ESL)
Teams:	24 teams
Purse:	510,000 for Finals 190,000 for Preliminaries
Champions:	Luminosity Gaming
Runners-Up1:	G2 Esports
Runners-Up2:	Ninjas in Pyjamas Fnatic
Mvp:	Marcelo "coldzera" David
Previous:	Season 2
Next:	Season 4

ESL Pro League Season 3 (shortened as EPL Season 3) was an Electronic Sports League tournament. It was the third season of the ESL Pro League. The Finals took place in London, United Kingdom from May 11 to May 15, 2016. Europe's regular season began on February 9, with Astralis beating Natus Vincere and ended with Ninjas in Pyjamas defeating G2 Esports. North America's season started with Renegades defeating Enemy (which later signed with Selfless Gaming) and ended with Team Liquid defeating Splyce The finals concluded with Luminosity Gaming defeating G2 Esports in a close best of five grand finals, which many consider to be a classic. Teams from two continents, North America and Europe competed in twelve team leagues and play against each other twice to determine the top four teams from each continent that would play in the Finals. The finals will offer a prize pool of US$510,000.

Format

Each continent featured the top nine teams from last season's ESL Pro League Season 2, two teams from the ESL Pro League Season 2 Relegation, and one team from the Wild Card. Teams within each continent will play each other twice to determine the top four qualifier to the Finals in London. There will be a total of nine weeks in this phase of the tournament. All games in the preliminaries will be played online.

The top four teams after the conclusion of the regular season moved on to London to play in the Finals; in addition, those teams were invited to next season's ESL Pro League. Teams that placed fifth to eleventh place did not make the Finals, but were invited to next season's ESL Pro League. The teams in 12th place were required to play in Season 3's Relegation match, in which two teams from each continent play to see which team moves on to next season's ESL Pro League

The Finals consisted of eight teams, four from Europe and four from North America. These teams were separated into two groups – the first and third seeds from North America and the second and fourth seeds from Europe will be in one group and the other teams in the other group. The group stage consisted of the highest seed going against the lowest seed and the middle two seeds against each other, both games in a best of one format. The winners will play in a best of one to determine one team in the Playoffs; the losers will play in a best of three to determine which team gets eliminated from the tournament. The remaining two teams will play in a best of three to determine which team will be the second team in the group to move on to the Playoffs. In the Playoffs, the semifinals will be a best of three and the finals will be a best of five. The winner of the finals will win the tournament and the top prize. All games in the Finals were played offline.

North America

Broadcast Talent

Commentators

Cory "megaman" Gilbert
John "BLU" Mullen
Jason "moses" O'Toole

Final standings

Final Standings
Place	Prize Money	Team	W-L	RF-RA	RD	Pts	Roster	Coach
1st	TBD	Luminosity Gaming	18-4	304-223	+81	54	FalleN, coldzera, TACO, fnx, fer	zews
2nd	TBD	Cloud9	16-6	306-229	+77	48	n0thing, Stewie2k, Skadoodle, fREAKAZOiD, shroud	lrukandji
3rd	TBD	OpTic Gaming	15-7	311-211	+100	45	daps, NAF, stanislaw, RUSH, mixwell
4th	TBD	Team Liquid	14-8	321-245	+76	42	Hiko, nitr0, EliGE, koosta, adreN, s1mple
5th	27,000	NRG eSports	14-8	291-259	+32	42	ptr, just9n, Silent3m, gob b, LEGIJA
6th	23,500	Selfless Gaming	13-9	305-260	+45	39	MAiNLiNE, Relyks, Nifty, mitch, Lucky, Uber	Ryu
7th	20,000	Renegades	13-9	287-249	+38	39	AZR, jks, Yam, USTILO, SPUNJ	peekay
8th	16,500	Winterfox	11-11	246-271	-25	33	LeX, anger, flowsicK, hades, Xp3	paradox
9th	13,000	Splyce	8-14	226-297	-71	24	arya, abE, Professor_Chaos, jasonR, DAVEY
10th	9,500	Counter Logic Gaming	5-17	220-333	-113	15	reltuC, jdm64, hazed, FugLy, tarik	pita
11th	6,000	compLexity Gaming	4-18	257-346	-89	12	witmer, Uber, androidx23 Surreal, dephh	Warden
12th	3,500	KKona	1-21	199-350	-151	3	inVert, rooRoooo, vice, dayV1D, OCEAN, els

Scores

Results
	Liquid	LG	OpTic	CLG	coL	Cloud9	Splyce	Selfless	KKona	WFX	NRG	RNG
Liquid		13-16 11-16	16-10 16-12	16-5 22-19	8-16 16-14	16-8 16-5	14-16 16-4	9-16 16-11	16-1 16-1	16-8 11-16	14-16 16-12	11-16 16-7
LG	16-13 16-11		F-W F-W¹	16-9 16-12	16-2 16-9	13-16 16-7	16-11 16-8	16-14 16-6	16-13 16-5	16-11 3-16	16-3 16-9	16-3 16-13
OpTic	10-16 12-16	W-F W-F¹		16-7 16-7	16-10 16-4	16-13 16-7	16-4 16-6	10-16 14-16	16-10 16-11	16-5 6-16	10-16 16-8	16-7 9-16
CLG	5-16 19-22	9-16 12-16	7-16 7-16		19-17 16-10	12-16 5-16	8-16 13-16	16-12 6-16	16-6 16-10	10-16 13-16	F-W F-W¹	5-16 6-16
coL	16-8 14-16	2-16 9-16	10-16 4-16	17-19 10-16		15-19 2-16	7-16 16-14	16-12 13-16	22-18 8-16	12-16 14-16	13-16 13-16	11-16 13-16
Cloud9	8-16 5-16	16-13 7-16	13-16 7-16	16-12 16-5	19-15 16-2		16-7 16-5	16-10 4-16	16-9 16-4	16-7 16-3	16-12 16-5	19-16 16-8
Splyce	14-16 4-16	11-16 8-16	4-16 6-16	16-8 16-13	16-7 14-16	7-16 5-16		5-16 11-16	16-12 16-6	16-2 3-16	16-11 10-16	4-16 6-16
Selfless	16-9 11-16	14-16 6-16	16-10 16-14	12-16 16-6	12-16 16-13	10-16 16-4	16-5 16-11		16-11 16-11	10-16 16-5	16-7 10-16	12-16 10-16
KKona	1-16 1-16	13-16 5-16	10-16 11-16	6-16 10-16	18-22 16-8	9-16 4-16	12-16 6-16	11-16 11-16		7-16 6-16	10-16 14-16	6-16 12-16
WFX	8-16 16-11	11-16 16-3	5-16 16-6	16-10 16-13	16-12 16-14	7-16 3-16	2-16 16-3	16-10 5-16	16-7 16-6		10-16 12-16	4-16 3-16
NRG	16-14 12-16	3-16 9-16	16-10 8-16	W-F W-F¹	11-16 16-10	12-16 5-16	16-14 12-16	16-7 16-10	16-10 16-14	16-10 16-12		16-2 16-13
RNG	16-11 7-16	3-16 13-16	7-16 16-9	16-5 16-6	16-11 16-13	16-19 8-16	16-4 16-6	16-12 10-16	16-6 16-12	16-4 16-3	2-16 13-16

¹Luminosity Gaming and Counter Logic Gaming forfeited their matches against OpTic Gaming and NRG eSports, respectively, since both teams were attending DreamHack Masters Malmö 2016 in Sweden.

Europe

Broadcast Talent

Commentators

Anders Blume
Joona "natu" Leppänen
Mitch "Uber" Leslie
Auguste "Semmler" Massonnat
Jason "moses" O'Toole
Lauren "Pansy" Scott
Niels Christian "NaToSaphiX" Sillassen
Matthew "Sadokist" Trivett

Analysts

Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill
Halvor "vENdetta" Gulestøl
Janko "YNk" Paunović
Leigh "Deman" Smith

Observer

Alex "Rushly" Rush

Final standings

Final Standings
Place	Prize Money	Team	W-L	RF-RA	RD	Pts	Roster	Coach
1st	TBD	Ninjas in Pyjamas	19-3	346-209	+137	57	GeT RiGhT, , Xizt, friberg,	THREAT
2nd	TBD	Astralis	16-6	316-233	+83	48	, karrigan, Xyp9x, dupreeh,	zonic
3rd	TBD	Fnatic	15-7	308-251	+57	45	flusha, olofmeister, JW, , KRiMZ
4th	TBD	G2 Esports	14-8	306-263	+43	42	, , Rpk, SmithZz, ScreaM
5th	27,000	Natus Vincere	14-8	304-291	+13	42	Zeus, Edward, , , GuardiaN
6th	23,500	Team Dignitas	11-11	264-293	-29	33	Kjaerbye,, Magiskb0Y, MSL, RUBINO
7th	20,000	FaZe Clan	10-12	308-280	+28	30		RobbaN
8th	16,500	mousesports	9-13	302-321	-19	27	, nex Spiidi,, NiKo
9th	13,000	Team EnVyUs	7-15	275-318	-43	21	kennyS, Happy, , DEVIL, NBK-	Maniac
10th	9,500	SK Gaming	7-15	263-347	-84	21	Friis, AcilioN, Magiskb0Y, Pimp, MODDII
11th	6,000	FlipSid3 Tactics	6-16	240-308	-68	18	Blad3, , Shara, WorldEdit,
12th	3,500	Virtus.pro	4-18	233-351	-118	12	TaZ, NEO, , Snax,

Scores

Results
	Astralis	Fnatic	Na'Vi	EnVyUs	G2	Dig	NiP	mouz	VP	SK	F3	FaZe
Astralis		16-5 19-22	16-13 14-16	16-10 7-16	16-10 8-16	16-11 16-5	8-16 4-16	16-12 16-4	16-3 16-11	16-7 16-5	16-7 16-7	16-12 16-9
Fnatic	5-16 22-19		16-11 13-16	16-4 5-16	16-5 16-7	16-6 16-5	6-16 16-10	16-4 17-19	16-12 16-9	16-11 16-6	16-13 16-14	6-16 10-16
Na'Vi	13-16 16-14	11-16 16-13		16-11 16-7	19-16 3-16	16-14 16-3	16-13 10-16	16-10 10-16	16-9 16-12	7-16 12-16	16-12 8-16	19-16 16-12
EnVyUs	10-16 16-7	4-16 16-5	11-16 7-16		11-16 12-16	14-16 7-16	10-16 3-16	19-22 8-16	20-22 16-13	22-19 16-6	16-9 16-7	14-16 7-16
G2	10-16 16-8	5-16 7-16	16-19 16-3	16-11 16-12		16-6 10-16	16-13 10-16	16-13 10-16	14-16 16-6	16-5 16-13	16-12 16-7	16-13 16-10
Dig	11-16 5-16	6-16 5-16	14-16 3-16	16-14 16-7	6-16 16-10		8-16 8-16	19-16 16-10	16-5 16-14	25-23 16-2	16-3 16-7	16-9 7-16
NiP	16-8 16-4	16-6 10-16	13-16 16-10	16-10 16-3	13-16 16-10	16-8 16-8		19-15 16-14	16-2 16-11	16-8 19-16	16-4 16-8	16-7 16-9
mouz	12-16 4-16	4-16 19-17	10-16 16-10	22-19 16-8	13-16 16-10	16-19 10-16	15-19 14-16		16-5 15-19	16-8 11-16	12-16 13-16	16-14 16-13
VP	3-16 11-16	12-16 9-16	9-16 12-16	22-20 13-16	16-14 6-16	5-16 14-16	2-16 11-16	5-16 15-19		11-16 12-16	16-14 6-16	9-16 10-16
SK	7-16 5-16	11-16 6-16	16-7 16-12	19-22 6-16	13-16 6-16	23-25 2-16	8-16 16-19	8-16 16-11	16-11 16-12		10-16 16-13	25-23 3-16
F3	7-16 7-16	13-16 14-16	16-12 8-16	9-16 7-16	12-16 7-16	16-3 7-16	4-16 8-16	16-12 16-13	14-16 16-6	16-10 13-16		8-16 2-16
FaZe	12-16 9-16	16-6 16-10	17-19 12-16	16-14 16-7	13-16 10-16	9-16 16-7	7-16 9-16	14-16 13-16	16-9 16-10	23-25 16-3	16-8 16-2

Finals

The finalized teams are shown below. Each team's world ranking for May 11, 2016 is also shown.

Broadcast Talent

Host

Oliver James "OJ Borg" Borg D'Anastasi

Desk Host

Alex "Machine" Richardson

Commentators

Anders Blume
Henry "HenryG" Greer
Auguste "Semmler" Massonnat
John "BLU" Mullen
Jason "moses" O'Toole
Lauren "Pansy" Scott
Matthew" Sadokist" Trivett

Analyst

Janko "YNk" Paunović

Observers

Heather "sapphiRe" Garrozo
Alex "Rushly" Rush

Group stage

Group A

Pos	Team	W	L	RF	RA	RD	Pts
1	G2 Esports	2	0	32	19	+13	6
2	Luminosity Gaming	2	1	85	82	+3	6
3	OpTic Gaming	1	2	48	55	-7	3
4	Astralis	0	2	48	57	-9	0

Group A Matches

Astralis	0	1	OpTic Gaming
Luminosity Gaming	0	1	G2 Esports
OpTic Gaming	0	1	G2 Esports
Luminosity Gaming	2	1	Astralis
OpTic Gaming	0	2	Luminosity Gaming

Group A Scores
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Astralis	7	Inferno	16	OpTic Gaming
Luminosity Gaming	12	Train	16	G2 Esports
OpTic Gaming	7	Cobblestone	16	G2 Esports
Luminosity Gaming	9	Dust II	16	Astralis
Luminosity Gaming	16	Overpass	12	Astralis
Luminosity Gaming	16	Train	13	Astralis
OpTic Gaming	12	Inferno	16	Luminosity Gaming
OpTic Gaming	13	Overpass	16	Luminosity Gaming
OpTic Gaming		Cobblestone		Luminosity Gaming

Group B

Pos	Team	W	L	RF	RA	RD	Pts
1	Ninjas in Pyjamas	2	0	38	27	+11	6
2	Fnatic	2	1	57	45	+12	6
3	Team Liquid	1	2	72	80	-8	3
4	Cloud9	0	2	36	51	-15	0

Group B Matches

Cloud9	0	1	Fnatic
Ninjas in Pyjamas	1	0	Team Liquid
Ninjas in Pyjamas	1	0	Fnatic
Cloud9	0	2	Team Liquid
Fnatic	2	0	Team Liquid

Group B Scores
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Cloud9	10	Inferno	16	Fnatic
Ninjas in Pyjamas	22	Dust II	18	Team Liquid
Ninjas in Pyjamas	16	Train	9	Fnatic
Cloud9	16	Dust II	19	Team Liquid
Cloud9	10	Cobblestone	16	Team Liquid
Cloud9		Cache		Team Liquid
Fnatic	16	Mirage	13	Team Liquid
Fnatic	16	Cache	6	Team Liquid
Fnatic		Overpass		Team Liquid

Playoffs

Semifinals

Semifinals
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
G2 Esports	14	Inferno	16	Fnatic
G2 Esports	16	Cache	8	Fnatic
G2 Esports	16	Train	12	Fnatic
Ninjas in Pyjamas	4	Overpass	16	Luminosity Gaming
Ninjas in Pyjamas	16	Dust II	8	Luminosity Gaming
Ninjas in Pyjamas	10	Cobblestone	16	Luminosity Gaming

Finals

Finals
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
G2 Esports	16	Overpass	10	Luminosity Gaming
G2 Esports	13	Train	16	Luminosity Gaming
G2 Esports	16	Cobblestone	10	Luminosity Gaming
G2 Esports	11	Dust II	16	Luminosity Gaming
G2 Esports	16	Inferno	19	Luminosity Gaming

Finals Standings

Final Standings
Place	Prize Money^[1]	Team
1st	200,000	Luminosity Gaming
2nd	90,000	G2 Esports
3rd 4th	44,000	Ninjas in Pyjamas
3rd 4th	44,000	Fnatic
5th 6th	36,000	OpTic Gaming
5th 6th	36,000	Team Liquid
7th 8th	31,000	Astralis
7th 8th	31,000	Cloud9

Notes and References

Web site: ESL Pro League Season 3 Finals .