ESL reveals 2024 Summer Break dates
Counter-Strike players have long discussed the topic of Winter and Summer breaks since the creation of the now essentially defunct CSPPA. Last year, the organization shocked many when it came out of hibernation to announce that the summer break for 2023 would be from June 12th through July 9th.
The news was met with mixed reactions from players around the globe. Those in Europe thought the dates were too soon, while those in the United States saw it as a welcome change. Danny "zonic" Sørensen and Håvard "rain" Nygaard complained about the break, complaining they would only have "10 days with family" and that players "won't be able to spend vacation with other family." This is because some European nations traditionally have vacations later in the summer, towards the end of June or the beginning of July.
Complexity and North American player Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski had welcomed the change last year as it allowed the year to be split into two equal-length seasons more effectively. Now, it appears the dates have been slightly eased so that European players can spend a little longer with family.
ESL FACEIT Group's SVP Game Ecosystems Ulrich "theflyingdj" Schulze revealed in a reply to HLTV Confirmed Co-Host Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill that the dates for the 2024 Summer break would be from June 17th through July 14th. The next year's break will be approximately one week later than 2023's.
When speaking with Dust2.us, Schulze confirmed that the dates were based on player feedback and following organizers' booking events. It was a combination of everything fitting into the schedule and ensuring that the players' wishes were accounted for. The ultimate goal was to create a break that aligned with the Major as well as making a balanced year-long schedule.
Schulze also confirmed that the CSPPA was not included in the discussions as it is unclear if the organization is still active. Instead, EFG worked with the Player Council to create the new schedule. For those unaware, the Player Council is a group of ESL Pro League players set up by the Louvre Agreement and managed by the league commissioner.
