sigafooConsole-MRfunnyalien
The big difference between those two seasons is that one of them did not have a LAN and the other was supposed to.
The only reason we adjust those is to have a better prize pool so players can help cover their cost for coming to the Invite LAN playoffs. The reason did not adjust them back from last season was because we canceled the LAN so late, players likely already spent some money that they may not have been able to get back (flights, hotels, etc...) If we do not have a LAN this season, then the numbers will go back to normal.
Were any other options explored to help teams financially compensate for LAN? Actively helping them seek out sponsorships? Separate, voluntary fundraisers? Helping teams build sponsor decks and providing stream viewership statistics to go with those decks from RGL's S1 coverage and TFTV's S1/ESEA S31 coverage? I didn't elaborate in my convo with boxcar but there are better options than what felt like an under the table swap up of prizepools that many didn't notice at all.
Comparing ESEA's prize numbers is kind of unfair when you remember that the community didn't really get a say from ESEA and we were basically held hostage for 10 seasons, not knowing if we were going to have a season, let alone having a say in how much money was given to divisions. ESEA should be an example for RGL to learn from if anything, not a standard to slightly deviate from. Season 1 actually did a decent job of this and I actually liked this change personally; it is the huge change from that initial season, combined with a required fee on all players to pay for the venue itself that is the troubling matter.