HSEL Winter Blitz 2024 Tournament Overview

This article explains the key dates, times, game information, and more for the HSEL Winter Blitz 2024 competition. Ensure that all team members are aware of the HSEL GENERAL TOURNAMENT RULES before registration. See the HSEL Registration Guide for more details on signing up. 

Key Dates

What's New?

HSEL Winter Blitz offers the potential for state-level competition! Any state that achieves 16 or more registered participants prior to the regular season will receive its own state division tournament with a state champion crowned in February. 

Game Information

• High School Esports League tournaments use an internal matchmaking queue system. 
• Games in bold are completely free to compete and do not require the purchase of a battle pass. 

*Cross-platform play enabled.

Divisions

2 types of divisional play for Winter: 

• State division if a state achieves 16 or more registrations
• Nationwide division for states that do not hit 16 registrations

Tournament Format

Queue Times

HSEL Major tournaments use an internal matchmaking queue system to create matches. Please note that queue times will follow the daylight/standard time changes throughout the year.

• The table below displays Nationwide division queue times.
• State divisions will have a queue time of 4:00 PM in their local time zone unless otherwise specified (examples below):
  • California queue will be at 4:30 PM Pacific 
  • Texas queue will be at 5:00 PM Central 

Playoffs 

SCHEDULE

• Nationwide division default time - 7:30 PM Eastern
• State Division default time - same as the regular season queue time 

• Playoffs/finals are manually seeded; players will not use the queue system*.
• You may only reschedule a playoff match if you meet all of the following criteria: 
  
  • Your competitor agrees to the new time in the match chat on the Generation Esports platform.
  • You notify and receive approval from HSEL admins for the new time here.
  • The match score is reported before midnight Pacific Standard Time the day prior to the next round (i.e. reschedules must not impede the bracket from advancing).
    
  • Finals matches cannot be rescheduled.
• The 3rd Place & Gold Bracket finals will occur on the same day as the tournament's Champ bracket finals match. 
• Per HSEL General Competition Rule 2.8.4: "Roster changes may be made at any point during or in-between seasons except during the time a team has queued for their match, during live matches, or once the playoffs have begun. Roster changes are prohibited for single-player and partnered (duo) game tournaments." 
• In the case an emergency substitute is needed, the Team Administrator must reach out to competition@highschoolesportsleague.com to request permission. 
  • If you have not heard back after 24 hours of making an emergency substitute request, please contact support here. 

How to Qualify

• A roster/player must:
  • Play at least 5 matches in order to be eligible for playoff qualification.
  • End the season at a high enough leaderboard placement (see tiebreakers below). 
  • Note: Any unplayed regular-season matches will be counted as a loss against the player's/roster's record at the end of the regular season, per rule 2.11.7.1.
• The tiebreaker system will be run as a tiered protocol that will be used if multiple teams finish the regular season with the same overall record, pursuant to rule 2.11.8.1: 
  
  1. Wins. (Forfeit wins and bye wins are scored as a 0-0 win)
  2. Head-to-head record. (If the two tied teams have played each other, their match record against each other is compared)
  3. Overall game-win percentage. (e.g. winning a match 3-0 is better than 3-2)
  4. Valorant, CS:GO, and R6 only: Round differential. (A team with 15 rounds won and 10 rounds lost will have a round differential of +5 for that match. A higher positive value is better)
  5. Higher opponents’ game-win percentage. (e.g. it is better to beat an opponent who consistently won 3-0 than 3-2)
  6. Fewer forfeit losses.
  7. Fewer bye wins.
  8. The team which had a higher number of wins before their first loss.
  9. If the first loss is received after the same number of wins, then the team which lost to the stronger opponent (as defined by game win percentage) will be ranked higher.

Prizing

• State divisions: Winner-take-all Plaque & Medals
• Nationwide division: 1st - 3rd place medals