Looking ahead to ECL Season 42

ESL Challenger League Season 41 saw us crown a new champion in paiN, who will not be joining us this next season. To decide who will be the next NA ECL participant for the ESL Pro League Conference, we have a whole new season for teams to make their claim. Let's look at all the participants and see their chances of being crowned domestic NA kings.

ATK

Perhaps the best to lay claim to the title, ATK finished second in last season's competition, only falling short to paiN in the finale. ATK have made steady improvements season over season, so this is their best shout to win outright. Their only regular season losses were to Brazilian teams oNe, paiN, and GODSENT, of which only the first will be in ECL Season 42. They are definitely the team to beat, but others also make a good case for themselves.

ex-Gaimin Gladiators

One of NA's fastest-rising teams, ex-Gaimin Gladiators, has made a name for themselves, being the only ECL team to qualify for the NA RMR in Stockholm so far. Their regular season run was not as stellar as it could have been last season, but their post-season more than made up for it, finishing in third place after two losses to ATK. The former Gladiators are hungry to perform, and if they can jump past their hurdle of ATK, they have a good shot to win the tournament outright.

Evil Geniuses

The newly acquired Carpe Diem lineup also has a fair say for the throne. With new organizational support, EG can develop much faster than their less funded opposition, which means that they could be a candidate for the top spot as well. With a weakened playing field due to a lack of South American teams, EG finds themselves in a good spot to overtake the rest of the competition. Expect this squad to only get better with the additions of William "RUSH" Wierzba and Peter "stanislaw" Jarguz, two veterans that can bring some structure to the young team.

These three teams are your likely victors, but it's worthwhile to talk about the rest of the competition just to see who's rising and who's falling in the NA ecosystem.

Mythic

NA's content machine, while perhaps not in line for first place, can definitely do some serious damage against a weakened ECL. Big names and experience can only serve to help Mythic against the onslaught of green ESEA Advanced teams who are reaching Challenger League for only the first time in their lives.

BHOP

Almost out of ECL until admins pulled them back up, BHOP have just as good a claim as Mythic do with an equal playoff run last season and even a better regular season result. However, with a new core, it's impossible to say how the new lineup will compare to the old one. Nonetheless, this team has experience, and that's one thing that this season is dearly lacking.

Brazen

Retaining their ECL slot from last season, Brazen showed they have the chops to be among the best in NA, but they have yet to pop off and really shine. They've shown flashes of brilliance, like a victory over Gaimin Gladiators in the regular season, but nothing consistent to their name. They played well enough to make top eight last season, but their playoff showing was less than desirable with two quick losses to EG and Mythic. Maybe the new season will see them go deeper in a postseason run.

Strife

Last season, Strife were on top of the world. They finished the regular season flawlessly and looked absolutely poised to make a deep playoff appearance with an incredible first-place finish at Fragadelphia 16 which saw them perform better than supposedly better ECL teams such as ATK, EG, and Gaimin Gladiators. Unfortunately for them, their successes didn't translate to ECL postseason which saw them drop out with two quick losses. The loss of Bobby "stamina" Eitrem will certainly be a wound that Strife will need to recover from, but they certainly have what it takes to make another playoff run.

MIBR

A very strong Brazilian team, MIBR won ECL Season 40 which saw them take joint-first at EPL Conference, what all these teams are ultimately striving for. They finished last season 5-2, but were unable to make their mark in the playoffs. Now, they have even upgraded their firepower with the addition of Henrique "HEN1" Teles, so expect the Brazilian behemoth to make an absolute mammoth run and shake up the landscape of ECL.

Vendetta

Taking Bad News Bear's dead ECL spot, Vendetta are completely new and have a lot to prove if they want to capture NA CS fans' hearts and minds like their predecessor did. But, they look to avoid a similar fate. BNB eventually died due to poor performances, and with the same core, there isn't too much to expect except a lot of experience. Vendetta do have what it takes to make an impact on ECL, but it remains to be seen whether it all comes together for them.

oNe

The other Brazilian representative in ECL, oNe have much to prove if they want to reclaim their spot at the top of NA ECL. Last season, a poor 3-4 record meant they had to battle their way out of relegation, which they did successfully. oNe have faltered in recent months, but perhaps ECL Season 42 is exactly what they need to get back on their feet.

timbermen

Successfully attaining second place in Advanced and moving up through relegation to ECL, timbermen come into the new season hungry and ready for combat. Fresh off a win at Fragadelphia 17 Fullerton, they can ride the momentum to potentially do some damage this season.

Detonate

Back in ECL, Detonate are ready to blow up. With much to prove, they also need to make a name for themselves and show that they are worth fearing. In fact, they wouldn't be in ECL if not for some teams leaving, so Detonate know how risky their position is and are definitely going to be on the hunt to keep their spot.

Northern Forces

Another team that got in due to some spots being opened up, Northern Forces are largely in the same circumstance, forced to fight for their lives if they want to avoid being relegated after the season.

Unjustified

A team that should have been relegated if not for the lucky open spots, Unjustified must work very hard to avoid their relegation fate this time around. With the easier competition, it is possible, but it'll be tough for the squad.

Davenport

A hefty congratulations to the first collegiate team in ECL, Davenport have reached the highest level they've ever been in, and they must work like hell to maintain it. Davenport has been on a great upward trajectory, but now they'll face some of the best in NA, so this will be their biggest challenge yet.

Victorum

A team that didn't even make relegation, Victorum are in ECL mostly by the luck of the draw. They'll have the hardest job keeping their spot, but that doesn't mean we should expect them to play poorly.

ECL Season 42 has a wide assortment of teams, from Brazil to NA and with an enormous range of experience. We'll have an incredible season including the first ever collegiate team in the highest level of NA CS and many players getting their first shot against the best in our region. ECL Season 42 is bound to be an amazing season and it begins tonight with our opening matchup:

• Strife vs timbermen at 08:00PM