Friday, March 22, 2013

We Have A New CPL

The MS announced today the line-up of CPL teams that will be competing in 2013. Instead of the customary two teams promoted from the SPL, Vision & Polar Bears, this year's CPL will feature 5 new teams. Waiting on various and sundry Millennium announcements is rather like watching for the white smoke to drift over Vatican City. Hopefully they weren't burning the new rule book. (But I kid, there is no new rule book, is there?) (The Board, like the Pope, is infallible don't you know.)
Filling in for the Dynabrats is Empire LA Infamous, which is something of a surprise but apparently KEE is feeling the need to push back a bit against the efforts of GI Sportz in the European arena. GI has Houston Heat in the Damage spot from last year and GI also sponsors Edmonton Impact, who will be playing out of the Amsterdam Heat spot. Was there one Heat too many for the CPL or were the kids from Amsterdam made an offer they couldn't refuse? (I hope they negotiated a multi-year paint deal with GI to give up their spot.)
And as to the remaining Heat I'm curious to see if they pick up any established Pros to fill in for their missing Russian crew. I confess I had expected to see that happen before now. Or perhaps they will be content to give the guys who don't always see a lot of action more PT over in Euroland.
Will the lads from Amsterdam combine their squad with their SPL team and make a strong run at regaining a CPL spot for next season? Inquiring minds want to know. Well, at least I do.

6 comments:

Nick Brockdorff said...

Sad to see Dynasty is no longer in Europe, they have been a stable for many years.

However, will be exiting to see how Infamous, Impact and Heat contend with Art Chaos, as well as Breakout and Polar Bears, who have made some big pick ups in the off season.

Fullbore said...

I'm guessing the ex-Dynasty spot belonged to Empire then. Also Empire have signed up as a top tier sponsor after pretty much just sending paint for the past few years. As I understood it the Damage spot was forfeited after the no-show(s)and GI had to "buy" it back from the MS (yeah, I know, insider dealing eh)!

Baca Loco said...

It's even trickier in that I was talking to Eric from Dynasty in Dallas and he was telling me how they had finally established ownership of their MS spot--and next thing I see is Empire putting up LA Infamous in that spot. Did Dynasty sell or simply loan it out for the year? Or, did the MS simply claim it and pass it along?

Anonymous said...

You guessed pretty good on the lads from Amsterdam, they did combine, believe they did get an oke deal out of it, and they will be strong enough to regain their CPL spot through the SPL. Id say swapping those teams makes sense from a sponsors side of view.

Nick Brockdorff said...

MS would not be able to "claim it and pass it along" without some significant breach of conduct, which I doubt would be involved in the Dynasty case :)

Anonymous said...

It seems Dynasty didn't have a paint sponsor until the 11th hour...this could explain how they got the deal they needed.