Team Secret was not part of the original Elite League 2024 lineup, but they will be filling the void after a team decided to withdraw from the event
The 2024 Elite League is going to be one of the biggest Dota 2 events of the year, even though it will be played behind closed doors. Organized by FiSSURE and ESB, the tournament is set to take place from March 31 to April 15 with some of the Dota 2 heavyweights in attendance. Team Secret was not part of the 24-team Dota fest originally, but now Clement “Puppey” Ivanov’s men will be joining the party after one of the participants pulled out of the competition.
Whom did Team Secret Replace at the 2024 Elite League?
Shopify Rebellion unexpectedly withdrew from the Dota 2 ESB & Fissure Elite League 2024, with Team Secret taking their place. No official reason was given by the team or the organizers for this last-minute change, which was first spotted on Liquipedia.
SHOPIFY REBELLION NO JUGARÁ LA ELITE LEAGUE. ES REEMPLAZADO POR TEAM SECRET
Liquipedia ha dado a conocer que Shopify Rebellion no jugará la Elite League, organizada por ESB y FISSURE, y en su lugar estará jugando la escuadra de Team Secret.
A través de Reddit y de Discord se ha… pic.twitter.com/FUM0R2yvLL
— Pancho Justo 🖊 (@justopancho) March 18, 2024
Some fans speculate that Shopify Rebellion’s withdrawal is a strategic move to prioritize ESL One Birmingham 2024, a major tournament starting just a week after the Elite League concludes. Additionally, the team is set to compete in the upcoming DreamLeague Season 23 qualifiers taking place March 20th through 22nd.
Another popular theory suggests Shopify Rebellion’s withdrawal might be due to the Elite League’s perceived lack of impact on their goals. With Valve prioritizing LAN results for The International qualification and the tournament not offering a path to the Riyadh Masters, the team might be using this time to strategize or rest before a busy schedule filled with potentially more valuable tournaments.
The Elite League, a $1,000,000 online Dota 2 tournament, runs from March 31st to April 15th in Europe. Featuring 24 teams, the competition boasts a significant prize pool, with additional rewards distributed to top performers in the qualifiers.
Credit: One Esports
UPDATE: Dario “TLO” Wünsch, who currently oversees Shopify Rebellion’s Esports operations, responded to the team’s decision to step away the Elite League. He explained that the team’s packed schedule with DreamLeague, its qualifiers, ESL One Birmingham, and PGL events made participation in the Elite League impractical. A key factor was the difficulty of securing timely visas for their midlaner, Erin Jasper “Yopaj” Ferrer, to compete in all these locations.
