As the countdown begins for IEM Cologne 2024, our Main team is gearing up to make its mark at the prestigious LAN tournament. On Saturday, August 10, they'll kick off the event with an upper bracket opening round in Group A.
Before the battles commence in Cologne, where 16 teams will compete for a share of the impressive $1,000,000 prize pool, don't miss our new mini-documentary, "Cologne Revisited." This exclusive feature unveils never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage from last year's IEM Cologne.
Straube: "Culture is undoubtedly the most critical and complex aspect to change. Through culture, we've created opportunities to incorporate many elements we work with today, and that's what I'm most proud of.
At that pivotal time, our sports director, Kasper Straube, had just recently joined Astralis, aiming to steer the Main team in a renewed direction. The LAN event at the Lanxess Arena was his first major challenge. Dive deep into how our former roster reached the semi-finals, triumphing over Heroic in a highly anticipated match-up—marking Straube's first face-off against his former team.
We caught up with Kasper to reflect on his first year with Astralis. Sharing his journey of leading the Main team and debuting with a semi-final at Cologne 2023, he stated:
"Today, I believe we are in a very strong position from a sporting perspective. During IEM Cologne 2023, our former lineup delivered an outstanding performance on numerous levels. However, we now have a much stronger foundation to consistently deliver great results and experiences for those who follow Astralis. This improvement is partly due to the improved quality of the current roster and significant changes in our team management."
"Last year, everything was new, and the change was exciting for the players. We continue to implement changes, but not to the same extent. About a year ago, we established many fundamental elements we rely on today."
"Culture is undoubtedly the most critical and complex aspect to change or implement. You're constantly tested in this job, and identifying the most significant hurdles can be challenging. Making wise and rational decisions after missing the CS2 Major in Copenhagen has been key to placing Astralis in a much more positive sporting position today compared to the past."
Last year, under the leadership of in-game leader Benjamin "blameF" Bremer, our former roster fought their way from the Play-In stage to the semi-finals, making an impressive run through the lower bracket in Group B. Securing a 3rd-4th place finish and $80,000 was a standout achievement in the fall of 2023.
This year, with Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz at the helm, the squad is fired up and ready to conquer Cologne once more. They're determined to secure a spot in the playoffs and perform on the grand stage in front of thousands of passionate fans.
We aim to kickstart a successful fall season, building on our strong spring performance with five playoff appearances and four semi-finals.
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