ESL, DreamHack, CSPPA sign framework agreement

ESL and DreamHack have announced a partnership with the Counter-Strike Professional Players’ Association (CSPPA) to establish a participation framework for professional CSGO players competing in the ESL Pro League. The framework agreement represents a group effort between the three organizations to ensure continued growth and professionalism in the competitive Counter-Strike scene.

The @CSPPAgg is delighted to announce that we have entered into a framework agreement with @ESLCS and @DreamHackCSGO regarding the EPL and ESL Pro Tour. Press release: https://t.co/WjuSOwpf3B

— Counter-Strike Professional Players' Association (@CSPPAgg) January 16, 2020

CSPPA framework agreement

“The life of a professional CS:GO player revolves around tournament participation all over the world. This makes the working conditions of players in connection with tournaments a key priority of the CSPPA,” said Mads Øland, CEO of the CSPPA, in a release. “In the current tournament landscape, ESL sets the industry standard for such working conditions and with this partnership, ESL has committed to maintain and develop such standards in close cooperation with the CSPPA.”

The framework agreement established will solidify the working partnership between the ESL, DreamHack, and CSPPA to work together on bettering professional CSGO. This way, the needs for players, stakeholders, and tournament organizers involved will be accounted for. This is the first agreement, modeled after similar iterations in traditional sports, in the multiplayer first-person shooter’s 20-year legacy and esports in general.

Topics that will be covered consist of the governance of the tournament circuit, participation in business revenues, defining player rights, and obligations at live events. The idea of making the Pro League tournament conditions the standard across other events is a future goal, among others like standard player contracts, player intellectual property rights, and potential joint projects.

Improving the ESL Pro League

“It was ESL’s priority over the last 24 months to ensure that CS:GO pros regard our tournaments as best in class,” said Ulrich Schulze, Senior Vice President Product at ESL. “The natural extension of this effort is recognizing the CSPPA as a partner in improving the ESL Pro Tour. This partnership is a very important milestone for us, as well as a big step forward towards the future of the industry.”

The partnership is an extension of the existing dialogue between ESL, DreamHack, and the CSPPA — which covers all of the competitions in the ESL Pro League. These include over 20 global events that culminate with the final Intel Extreme Masters Katowice and ESL One Cologne events.

CSPPA participants will cooperate with the ESL Pro Tour events calendar for the summer and winter player breaks. The player association will also act as a joint representative for its member players to provide input on the working conditions. Aspects like travel and accommodation, group stage tournament areas, private practice rooms, and defined distances will be covered.

Representatives for the ESL Pro League Player Council will be elected to govern the association.