Premier Cup Preview
Reigning European champions Team Queso and fifteen other teams will vie for the Premier Cup this weekend, hoping to work towards the Winter Major in Los Angeles as well as solidify their places on the European leaderboards. Last time out, in the Apollo Open, Team Queso took a surprise win, knocking out Team BDS in the Upper Finals and triumphing over Dignitas in the Grand Finals. Dignitas got there after an impressive lower bracket run, including a historic Best of Seven perfect sweep over Team BDS in the Lower Finals. All three of these teams will be hungry for more success, but should not take anyone lightly.
Major Spots on the Line
Team Queso and Dignitas can both clinch a spot in Los Angeles this weekend, with Team Queso needing simply to reach the finals and Dignitas needing a win. Fall Major winners Team BDS, having finished third last time out, will also look to close in on a spot. Though they can’t clinch with only their own results, they can all but lock up a berth in Los Angeles. Endpoint CeX, another Fall Major team, will also look to take the crown and move closer to the Winter Major. Endpoint CeX is still the only team to have won multiple events in Europe this season, and hope to get their hands on a third title.
Group by Group Breakdown
(image courtesy of Rocket League Esports)
Group A - Team BDS, Williams Resolve, Luminosity Gaming, Guild Esports
Group A features the region’s top team, Team BDS, as well as two rosters who have legitimate aspirations for the Winter Major in Williams Resolve and Luminosity Gaming. Guild Esports is also a team that has underperformed expectations this season, but could be finding their stride after a solid performance in the closed qualifier. Luminosity Gaming and Team BDS met in the group stage last time out in the Apollo Open, with Team BDS narrowly winning the series and the group in Game 5 overtime. Luminosity Gaming will be hungry for revenge, and a chance to make it to Los Angeles. Williams Resolve, after making it to the top six of the Apollo Open, will also hope to make the Major at the end of the split, and need a strong performance this weekend to do so. Guild Esports, after struggling for so much of the 2021-22 season, will hope to finally start turning it around this weekend.
Group B - Endpoint CeX, Evil Geniuses, Karmine Corp, Stormtroopers
After a strong performance in the Fall Split, Endpoint CeX will be hoping to return to the pinnacle of Europe in the Premier Cup. Standing in their way in Group B will be two teams who were near the Major in the Fall, Evil Geniuses and Karmine Corp. After both fell short in the final event of the Fall split, they’ll be searching for success this weekend to propel them to Los Angeles. Additionally, Karmine Corp will be looking for more success against Endpoint CeX, having dropped the match 3-2 in the group stage last time out. Stormtroopers also can’t be taken lightly, having gone a perfect 3-0 in the closed qualifier against tough competition. The new roster, headlined by ThO, is highly touted in Europe, and will be looking for some upsets in their first main event as a team.
Group C - Dignitas, Team Vitality, Misfits Gaming, 00 Nation DNB
The only group featuring two teams that qualified for the Fall Major in Stockholm, Group C is full of tough outs. Dignitas, looking to clinch a Winter Major spot, struggled in the group stage last time before making a huge lower bracket run. They lost to Misfits Gaming 3-2 in the group stage as their reverse sweep attempt fell just short, but will be hoping to atone for that this time around. Misfits Gaming, having dominated the closed qualifier, will be trying to build on the success they found in the Apollo Open and improve on their place in the European points rankings. Team Vitality, who have been struggling this season by their lofty standards, still find themselves in position to reach the Winter Major in Los Angeles after finishing in the top six last time out, and need a solid performance again to ensure they can make it. 00 Nation DNB went 0-3 in the group stage of the Apollo Open, but have been fringe contenders throughout the season and look to better that result this time out.
Group D - SMPR Esports, Team Queso, Kuxir’s Minions, Natus Vincere
A group headlined by reigning champions Team Queso and Fall Major qualifiers SMPR Esports, Group D promises competitive matchups from top to bottom. SMPR Esports fell out early in the last event, only making it to the top twelve, but have a chance to win as their roster is among Europe’s most talented, headlined by superstar Archie. Team Queso needs to make the finals of the Premier Cup to qualify for Los Angeles, and will be highly motivated to do so, looking to win the group and get a head start in the playoff bracket. Kuxir’s Minions and Natus Vincere both squeaked through the closed qualifiers with a record of 3-2, but have made noise in past RLCS events and will be hoping to do so this weekend as well. They both finished 0-3 in the Apollo Open, but are capable of winning any matchup any given day.
Don’t forget to watch the Premier Cup this weekend, kicking off Friday at 11 a.m. EST as Europe’s best compete for the crown! The main stream, twitch.tv/RocketLeague, will be supplemented by team broadcasts on Friday. Matches continue as the playoff bracket heats up Saturday at 11 a.m., and a champion will be crowned on Sunday!
