SPUNJ and Professeur addressed the current state of tournament organizers on the HLTV Confirmed podcast, focusing on potential problems for BLAST and its competition with PGL.

SPUNJ noted that losing BLAST would harm the broader Counter-Strike ecosystem despite his mixed feelings toward the organizer.

“It is no secret that I am not the biggest fan of BLAST, but it would be a shame if the company were simply squeezed out of the market, right?” SPUNJ stated.

He added that he heard about layoffs among former BLAST employees alongside significant payment delays. SPUNJ warned that failure to attract big names or maintain sponsor appeal could cause rapid deterioration if PGL gains ground.

“I heard about layoffs from people who previously worked at BLAST and whom I know,” SPUNJ mentioned.

Professeur explained that Counter-Strike is not always the primary profit source for operators, often functioning as a storefront. He recalled Cologne panel discussions showing that operators generate revenue primarily through other white-label projects.