Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Katowice, one of the most renowned Counter-Strike esports events of the year, has seen a substantial increase in viewership compared to its 2023 edition. The event reached a peak of approximately 972,000 viewers, surpassing last year’s figure of 726,000 by more than 200,000. This outstanding achievement ranks IEM Katowice 2024 as the fourth most-watched event in the history of the Katowice tournaments.
Peak event audience increased by approximately 25%
IEM Katowice witnessed a remarkable 25% increase in peak viewership compared to the previous year. Furthermore, the event showed growth across various viewership metrics. The average viewership surged from approximately 235,000 in 2023 to 287,000, achieved with 15 fewer hours of airtime. Overall, viewers consumed over 1 million additional hours of programming in 2024.
The tournament’s grand final featured an exciting showdown between Team Spirit, a prominent Russian esports organization now based in Serbia, and FaZe Clan. Team Spirit emerged victorious, securing the championship title. The top four positions also included Team Falcons and MOUZ, while renowned organizations such as G2 Esports, Natus Vincere, Heroic, and Team Vitality finished below sixth place. Notably, the grand final clash between FaZe and Team Spirit garnered the highest viewership throughout the entire tournament.
ENCE, the team eliminated in the quarterfinals, had more hours watched than MOUZ and Falcons
Interestingly, the playoffs of IEM Katowice featured only one match that required a tiebreaker, while four matches concluded with either a 2:0 or 3:0 score. Surprisingly, the dominant performances in the playoffs did not impact viewership significantly. However, it is worth noting that ENCE, a team eliminated in the quarter-finals, garnered more total hours watched than both MOUZ and Falcons, who advanced to the semifinals.
Team Spirit, the victorious team of IEM Katowice, presents an intriguing aspect as they are not part of the ESL partner program. Following the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the organization relocated its operations to Belgrade, Serbia. Since then, they have been competing from this European country, adding an interesting dynamic to their success in the tournament.
