All of the ins and out of the switch mania — SiegeGG

The August switch window is now open! Right here is strictly what meaning.

The dates

The switch window opened on Monday, Aug. 22, at 9 AM CET and can shut on Sunday, Sep. 4, 9 AM CET. This provides 13 days for groups to signal gamers.

The subsequent two switch home windows might be from Nov. 21 to Dec. 4 and from Feb. 20 to Mar. 5.

Because the window at all times opens the day after the Main grand-final, we will infer the dates of the November Main to be Nov. 14 to twenty and the Six Invitational 2023 to be Feb. 7 to 19.

What could be accomplished?

Throughout this August window, groups can purchase, commerce, and promote gamers or choose up free brokers. Groups can talk about and negotiate modifications exterior of home windows, however they’ll solely be executed as soon as the window opens. 

Whereas any variety of gamers could be dropped, solely two new gamers could be added to the group. This implies, for instance, Virtus.professional can’t change their entire group with ex-Empire, as that may require 5 new gamers. 

February switch window

The exception to that is in February, because the post-SI window permits as many modifications as you would like. That is how G2 Esports picked up three new members or how Soniqs changed 4 gamers final yr. 

Contemplating this window additionally takes place 4 months after the tip of Stage 3, that is additionally the one time cross-regional transfers could be realistically accomplished, because it’ll take a number of months to get visas sorted. 

Poaching guidelines

Put merely, group representatives should speak to one another to make sure each groups are negotiating a change collectively, relatively than one group speaking to a person participant behind their group’s again.

A violation of poaching guidelines can result in a tremendous of between $10,000 to $20,000 and as much as a 12-month aggressive ban.

SiegeGG beforehand reported {that a} Ubisoft investigation had been run after Mirage alleged that each Nuers and Dream had been poached by Oxygen Esports. It closed as a consequence of a scarcity of proof. 

A number of high-profile Mexican gamers have additionally been banned as a consequence of poaching throughout 2021. 

International Contract Database

Earlier than each stage begins, groups should submit their full rosters to Ubisoft to formally register the gamers. In addition to private info, this additionally consists of every participant’s contract finish date. 

The contact info is then put right into a database that each one different groups can entry. That is designed to make it extra clear as each group ought to know which gamers might be obtainable forward of time.

Academy groups

Academy rosters could be signed each time together with exterior of switch home windows.

Throughout switch home windows, groups can switch two gamers from their academy group to their main group. This doesn’t rely in the direction of their two-player pickup most. This implies a group can theoretically change 4 gamers in a single window, however that is extra of a technicality than by design.

You possibly can learn extra in regards to the “academy roster loophole” right here.

Elevate, MNM Gaming, Black Dragons, Parabellum, w7m esports, Fenix Esports, INTZ, Staff oNe, and ALPHA Staff all presently have two groups.

In the meantime, FURIA, Gaimin Gladiators, Nora Rengo, and Giants Gaming have additionally had secondary groups prior to now. 

Coaches

Groups can have as much as seven gamers — 5 beginning and two substitutes — in addition to a single “coach” and as many help employees as they want.

Whereas the rulebook limits groups to 1 coach change per window, this doesn’t restrict “help employees” modifications. This restrict is successfully meaningless, because you’re solely allowed one official coach anyway. 

Itemizing somebody as a coach relatively than simply the help employees offers them further advantages resembling the power to speak to gamers throughout timeouts and journey protection to occasions. It additionally means they’re listed within the international contract database. 

Drafts

Beforehand introduced in Brazil forward of the 2020 season was a draft system “modelled after the Nationwide Basketball Affiliation”. This was dropped earlier than the season started and by no means bought off the bottom.