Players will need to self-fund their stay at the ALGS Open, but not their travel.
EA have confirmed that teams will have to self-fund accommodation during the ALGS Open. This new, 160-team event is the largest in the ALGS history and features over double the competitors of previous ALGS LAN events.
At previous events, and also for the ALGS Year 5 Midseason Playoffs and ALGS Championship, all qualified teams were given paid travel and accommodation for three players. Coaches could usually share accommodation, with teams given two rooms.
However, with the size and cost of the ALGS Open, EA are prioritising ensuring all players are able to attend the event rather than covering accommodation. EA explained their reasoning for the decision to esports.gg.
EA feel paid travel is the fairer option for the ALGS Open
All ALGS open teams will still get 3x flights covered if they qualify for, or have been invited to the ALGS Open. However, all teams will need to fund their own accommodation for the event. EA feel that funding travel rather than accommodation will "keep it equitable." They want all teams to be able to compete, no matter where they are from in the world.
If they funded accommodation instead of travel, teams who reside in the same country as the ALGS Open would have a much cheaper travel cost than a team travelling across the world, for instance. This could result in teams from other regions not attending.
An EA spokesperson added that "By covering airfare for all qualified teams, we're providing a level playing field for players to compete, no matter where in the world they come from or how expensive their travel would be. Airfare typically has fewer options available, whereas there are a variety of accommodation options players can leverage depending on their budget."
Additionally, EA are alerting competitors of this rule ahead of the public announcement. This will allow players to get a head-start on booking accommodation, keeping prices down. Furthermore, when asked if EA are taking any steps to block-book hotels for players or assisting them in finding accommodation, they noted that they are working to organize discount codes for players. This will help reduce costs for competitors. This is in addition to providing an "info desk" to help players with visa requirements and other things they will need to sort out their trip.
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ALGS Open also awards prizing to more teams
This news will undoubtedly be frustrating to some competitors. There may be instances where teams feel unable to commit to the event, with the additional expenses required. Teams without organizational backing may be impacted the most. It would be a shame to see teams not be able to compete because of the cost of accommodation.
However, there is at least a change to prizing at the ALGS Open. For Year 5 the ALGS is paying out more places at LAN events than in previous years. The top-40 teams at the ALGS Open will walk away with prize money, which will help offset the cost of attending the event.
If you want a spot at the ALGS Open, there is still a chance to enter the ALGS Pre-season Qualifiers and compete for a shot at a share of that $1,000,000 USD prizing.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for full coverage of the ALGS and all things Apex Legends.
