Great Lakes CRL's Summer Showdown 2024 Brings The Heat!

This July, Great Lakes CRL proudly presents Summer Showdown 2024! While heating up for the 2024-25 season, a refreshing pit stop will keep our dedicated community cool. The Summer Showdown will have three stages: Qualifiers, Swiss, and Playoffs. Let's start by analyzing each component in the tournament structure.

Qualifiers

At Great Lakes CRL, a typical tournament consists of Qualifiers, 16 team Swiss, and Single-Elimination playoffs. Likewise, the upcoming Summer Showdown will fully support this mold.

We will divide the Qualifiers for Summer Showdown 2024 into two separate pools. First, there will be an Open Qualifier for non-member schools (schools that were not active Great Lakes Esports members during the 2023-2024 Great Lakes CRL Season); four teams from the Open Qualifier will move on to the Closed Qualifier, where the 16 teams will qualify for Swiss. Regardless of what pool teams are in, they will compete in a best-of-5 double-elimination bracket.

Qualifiers will not be live-streamed, so community members and fans can stay updated on match results by viewing our start.gg bracket on July 19th at 5:00 PM ET. We will post live results on the bracket when matches finish.

Swiss Stage

Once the qualifiers conclude, the top 16 teams will advance to the Swiss Stage. Great Lakes CRL directly draws inspiration from the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) for its version of a Swiss bracket. It encompasses the core structure RLCS employs for its Splits and Majors.

Simply put, each of the 16 teams will compete against other teams with the same record. Round 1 starts with teams ranked 1-16. The match order will be 1st seed vs. 16th seed, 2nd seed vs. 15th seed, 3rd seed vs. 14th seed, and continuing in that sequence. Upon Round 1's conclusion, eight teams will have a 1-0 record, while the other 8 hold an 0-1 record.

This Swiss-style pattern continues until a team wins or loses three series. Each series is best-of-5. If a team wins three out of five Swiss-style matches, they move into the playoffs. However, if it fails to win three out of five, it is eliminated from the Summer Showdown.

When the Swiss Stage is complete, 8 out of the 16 teams march toward playoffs. The overall performance of qualified teams will determine the distribution of the seeding. For example, the two 3-0 teams earn the 1-2 playoff seeds. Next, the three 3-1 teams obtain the 3-5 playoff seeds. The three 3-2 teams will earn the 6-8 seeds.

The Swiss Stage of a typical Great Lakes CRL tournament always carries an extra amount of craziness, and the Summer Showdown will be no different.

Community members and fans can expect to watch the Summer Showdown 2024 Swiss Stage on our Twitch channel, starting July 20th at 5:00 PM ET.

Playoffs

The final act for 2024's Summer Showdown lies within its playoff competition. As mentioned, eight advancing teams from the Swiss Stage will grace this pedestal. Much like the Swiss phase, playoff matches will follow a seeding pattern. The 1st seed will play the 8th seed, the 2nd seed vs the 7th seed, the 3rd seed will play the 6th seed, and the 4th seed will play the 5th seed.

Analyzing the playoff format, all segments (Quarter, Semi, and Grand) finals are single-elimination. One key difference is that the quarterfinals will be a best-of-5 series. Henceforth, the Semifinals and Grand Finals will hold more weight as the best-of-7 series.

In short, the playoffs contain 8 CRL teams with one goal: winning the Summer Showdown 2024. To reign victorious, teams will have to dial up particular team dynamics to get over the hump. Adaptability and resilience are a couple of characteristics teams should inherit while awaiting the Summer Showdown. Implementing these strategies will help teams feel prepared to shift into overdrive and play their best Rocket League.

Community members and fans can expect to watch the Summer Showdown 2024 Playoffs on our Twitch channel, starting July 21st at 5:00 PM ET.

Prize Pool

During Summer Showdown 2024, teams will be competing to become victorious and put the Great Lakes CRL scene on notice. Additionally, there is a $200 prize pool. The first-place team will receive $150, while the second-place team will obtain $50. This prize pool helps to raise the stakes further and ignite motivation towards the competing teams. Not only will the top 2 teams be fighting for bragging rights, but are awarded for their courageous efforts.

Colleague Partnership

We have partnered with Colleague to help usher in a new era for Great Lakes CRL. They specialize in creating rankings for CRL teams, promoting tournaments, and serving as a centerpiece of Collegiate Esports. We are excited to introduce this new partnership during the Summer Showdown 2024 and throughout our 2024-25 competitive season.

Great Lakes CRL Commissioner and Founder Brendan "Bub" Miller issued the following statement regarding Colleague's partnership:

"As the Commissioner of Great Lakes CRL, I am thrilled to announce our partnership with Colleague for the upcoming Summer Showdown 2024 and the 2024-2025 season. Colleague has been a cornerstone of Collegiate Rocket League for years, and we are excited to join forces with them. This collaboration will bring professional seeding to our events and comprehensive rankings for our teams, providing valuable insights into performance. Colleague will help build compelling storylines and enhance the overall experience for everyone involved in Great Lakes CRL. We couldn't be more excited about what we will accomplish together."

Our partnership with Colleague will change how we interpret our CRL competition at Great Lakes. Professional seeding and comprehensive rankings for all teams will help increase our production's transparency levels. It assists all parties in Great Lakes CRL with valuable insights into team performance and the creation of compelling stories. This partnership enhances our mission of prioritizing student-athletes and creating the True Collegiate Experience.

Streaming and Registration Info For Summer Showdown 2024

Once more, live qualifier results will be accessible through start.gg. Our Swiss and Playoffs live streams will be on the Great Lakes CRL Twitch Channel. For social media-related updates, follow Great Lakes CRL on X.

Lastly, registration is available at our start.gg tournament page. Further information on the Summer Showdown is on our Liquipedia page.

We are excited to embark on a new era of Great Lakes CRL that begins with Summer Showdown 2024.

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Andrew Czysz Jr. is an aspiring Esports Journalist and Rocket League Commentator for Carthage College. If you like his content, follow him here.

Welcome to Great Lakes CRL!

At Great Lakes CRL, we're passionate about providing collegiate student-athletes an unparalleled competitive gaming experience. Our league offers a fresh approach to Rocket League competition, tailored specifically for the academic calendar of colleges and universities in the Great Lakes Region.

What is Great Lakes CRL?

Great Lakes CRL is a collegiate league that aligns with academic calendars. We host two splits annually, corresponding to the fall and spring semesters, with monthly events! Each split consists of two minors and one invitational major, all building up to our thrilling season-ending championship held at a college within the Great Lakes region! The crowning glory? The Great Lakes CRL Champion walks away with the prestigious Great Lakes CRL Championship Trophy, proudly displayed at their university! Why does Great Lakes CRL Exist?

We're committed to fostering an authentic collegiate experience by excluding professional Rocket League players from eligibility. This unique approach cultivates an ultra-competitive environment exclusively for collegiate athletes, enabling them to excel academically and athletically. Our steadfast dedication to preserving the collegiate nature of sports sets us apart, ensuring the integrity of collegiate athletics remains intact.

Meet the Team Behind Great Lakes CRL:

Brendan "Bub" Miller

League Commissioner

Production Manager

Brendan's passion for esports and extensive experience in competitive gaming makes him an invaluable asset to Great Lakes CRL. As our League Commissioner and Production Manager, he oversees various responsibilities crucial to the league's success while pursuing a Sport Management degree.

Kole "KAp3x" Allen

League Manager

Kole's journey from High School Rocket League player to League Manager showcases his dedication to Great Lakes CRL. Responsible for ensuring seamless operations, Kole is committed to advancing our league's missions.

Joseph "JTV" Schurian

Assistant Production Manager & Host

Joseph's versatility and professionalism shine through in his various roles within Great Lakes CRL. From Shoutcaster to Host to Assistant Production Manager, Joseph's talent and commitment elevate the quality

of our content.

Jayson "Jaybae" LaGrou

Assistant League Manager

Jayson brings a wealth of gaming experience and a degree in business management to his role as Assistant League Manager. With his passion for Rocket League and dedication to our league's success, Jayson is an integral part of the Great Lakes CRL team.

At Great Lakes CRL, we're more than just a league - a community dedicated to supporting collegiate esports athletes as they pursue their academic and athletic goals. Join us in celebrating the thrill of competition and the spirit of camaraderie in collegiate Rocket League!

Championing Collegiate Gaming: The Great Lakes Esports Story

Juniper Network X Great Lakes Esports Summer Series at University of Michigan

Welcome to Great Lakes Esports, where we are reshaping the landscape of collegiate gaming. Founded in June 2023, Great Lakes Esports emerged from a vision to recreate the authentic collegiate experience within the esports industry. With a steadfast mission to ban professional players from our competitions, we aim to cultivate an environment where college students can thrive, develop their skills, and immerse themselves in the true essence of collegiate sports.

Our mission is clear: to create the true collegiate experience in esports and to lead the industry towards adopting this philosophy. We believe that by providing a platform exclusively for college students, we can foster a community driven by dedication, expertise, and passion.

At Great Lakes Esports, we focus on Rocket League, Valorant, and Call of Duty, with plans to expand our repertoire to include more games in 2025. What sets us apart is our commitment to maintaining a level playing field by prohibiting professional players from competing in our events. This unique approach not only ensures fair competition but also encourages the growth and development of collegiate gamers.

In our inaugural year of operations, we proudly partnered with Juniper Networks to organize a summer series LAN event at the University of Michigan. This collaboration exemplifies our dedication to providing unparalleled experiences for our community.

Behind Great Lakes Esports are a team of dedicated individuals committed to our vision. Mackenzie Breznik, our Owner and Chief Finance Officer, along with Josh Breznik, our Chief Executive Officer, lead the charge towards revolutionizing collegiate esports. Christopher Ainhorn serves as our Chief Operations Officer, ensuring seamless execution of our initiatives, while Brendan Miller and Kole Allen spearhead our collegiate Rocket League efforts as Commissioner and League Manager, respectively.

As we continue to grow, we aspire to become pioneers in the esports industry, bridging the gap between traditional collegiate sports and esports. Our journey is fueled by the desire to redefine the collegiate gaming experience and inspire a new generation of esports enthusiasts.

Join us as we embark on this exhilarating journey towards transforming the esports landscape and championing the true spirit of collegiate competition.

Welcome to Great Lakes Esports.