New Substitution Rule Opens Loophole
We’ve talked before about the various changes Valve has made to its rules regarding rosters and when they’re finalized. Before TI6, Valve wrote in a rule that opened a two week period between the drop and the add deadline. It gave free agents some recourse to find a new team, should they be dropped from their old one.
The most recent change to Valve’s roster rules allows qualified teams to register new substitute players, when before subs had to be locked in before qualifying rounds. This change gives flexibility for players to compete without having to be tied in a substitute spot. But it also opens up a slippery slope for organizations to push out players in favor for a stronger sub, after they’ve ensured their spot in the tournament.
Valve’s rules regarding rosters have historically benefitted the player, at least that was the intent. The first iteration of their roster locks appeared prior to TI4, after a debacle which involved team Fnatic strong arming one of their players to step aside, in favor for a substitute. Valve interjected and threatened to disqualify Fnatic if they didn’t maintain their original roster.
The rules in place are aimed to prevent a situation like this from happening again. It explicitly states that teams disqualify themselves should they change their rosters past the deadline. Teams could still qualify through the Open qualifiers, as EG and Secret did for TI6, but it was a severe risk for every other team. They would be surrendering their eligibility and gambling on making it out of the gauntlet of the Open qualifiers — all for the presumed better chance of placing higher, with a different player.
With the new ruling, teams can now replace players with impunity. Yes, it does state that that a swap would require the player’s consent, but it potentially pits a lone player against his organization and fellow teammates, if they wanted to push him out.
More Flexibility For Everyone, More Power For Teams
The rule helps teams find capable free agents, when before many of those free agents were tied to rosters, whether as a main player or sub, even if that roster didn’t qualify. But at the same time it also empowers teams, with an expanded, more qualified free agent pool, to force their players out. The rule places these players in a predicament, where they have the burden of holding their own team hostage and refusing consent to leave.
Currently, teams such as EG, OG, and DC have added their coaches as subs, while Maybe was added as a sub to LFY and Burning to iG.V, in the event one of their players failed to acquire a visa. Then, there are teams such as Complexity, MVP, and Execration, who have all replaced their main players with subs. It is uncertain if these players were bought out, in exchange for their consent to leave, but it is a loophole that exists with this new ruling.
Valve’s efforts to stabilize Esports teams has indirectly given them the power to bench their players. And because free agents are no longer tied to teams, there’s a larger pool of capable players, enough to push pessimistic organizations to upgrade their rosters.
One solution would be for Valve to guarantee a base pay for swapped players, such as a reduced percentage of the prize pool split. That’s because substitutes in Dota work differently than other sports, which rotate players depending on the situation. Substitutes in Dota work like substitutes in the classroom. They’re available in emergency situations, when a main player is unable to play, such as from sickness or visa difficulties. Subs most of the time will never see game time, but they do surrender other opportunities by committing to a team for the duration of the tournament.
Professional players may have more clout if they had existing contracts with their teams, but this is not the case in Esports, save for a few. Competitive Dota is still relatively young, as is its infrastructure. The only protection for a player against an organization and teammates trying to oust him is to say no, and to hope that Valve has his back.
1ST BLOOD
edit: good read, I like the new change
2cd to be announced.
LIfe is Good.
3rd
very interesting
our hair grows at an uneven rate for some reason
the last hour roster change for the boston major gonna be funny
I hope i get my mechanical hand soon..
I was wondering why 343 suddenly replaced Rapy for Execration... This change kind of undermines all of Valve's previous showings that they are more loyal towards players than organizations.(like how they pay prize winnings to the players, not to the team managers) they kinda screwed the whole purpose of roster lock. Just register a sub late, then swap him out and cite "visa issues" or w/e.
lucky number 8
Forev for Reisen confirms this slippy fish.
Goodbye EternalEnvy
11th.............
1st !!! god demmit too slow damn
12th oh thank god :)
Pteronophobia is the fear of being tickled by feathers. You're welcome.
Screw the article. I only come here for the comments. They're so informative...
R U serious? I kind of worry about the" team stability" then. Valve supports players? sounds good, hard to implement. Esport had a hard time to get through, that's the truth we all know. Not because dota is special, but the previous games CS, Warcraft, Starcraft, "THEY ARE DEAD", the Esports say, if someone is outdated, namely, it is dead.
...😐...