BLAST has named Anne Banschbach as its Programme Director for Valve Ecosystems and Development.
In the role, Banschbach will oversee the direction of the tournament organiser’s BLAST Premier and BLAST Slam Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 tournament series.
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Banschbach announced that she was joining BLAST in July, after leaving French esports organisation Team Vitality following a four-year stint as its Head of Esports Operations.
According to a release, Banschbach will aim to focus on ‘strengthening relationships with partners, teams, players, and key stakeholders’ as BLAST looks to enhance its event offerings across CS2 and Dota 2.
“I’m super excited to be jumping on board with BLAST, leading Premier and Slam as well as helping with new projects,” said Banschbach.
“I’ve gained lots of knowledge from my time on the other side of the industry, and I’m ready to help BLAST step up their game and deliver great events.”
Since launching in 2020, BLAST Premier has become a staple of the Counter-Strike tournament calendar. In September, the tournament organiser hosted the Open London Finals at OVO Arena Wembley, with G2 Esports emerging victorious.
BLAST’s CS2 and Dota 2 Calendar
BLAST Premier’s 2025 season will hold its final event in Hong Kong from November 12th to 16th. BLAST Rivals Fall 2025 sees eight teams competing for $350,000 (~£260,006) in prize money.
Looking ahead to next year, the tournament organiser has already shared details on Premier’s 2026 season. Next March, the Counter-Strike circuit will host an event in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
BLAST’s Dota 2 circuit will also host two more events before the year comes to an end.
From October 14th to November 9th, BLAST Slam IV heads to Singapore as part of the organisers’ multi-year partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board. 12 teams will compete for a share of a $1m (~£742,605) prize pool.
In December, BLAST Slam V will take place in Chengdu, China, with another 12 teams battling it out for a million-dollar prize pool. The event forms part of its three-year deal with the Chengdu Television and Media Company.
Source: https://esportsinsider.com/
