One of the most hyped and anticipated esports tournaments is The International, also known as the TI. It is a competition that is held for the highly popular Dota 2 game, and the reigning champions are the esports group known as “OG.” They are back to back winners, and in this article, we will explore how the group managed to come out victorious in consecutive years.
What is TI?
TI (The International) is a worldwide Dota 2 esports competition that is held annually by the developers. It is a highly prestigious event within the esports calendar, and there is always top talent on show. The competition was first held in 2011 at Gamescom, and it has a total of 18 teams competing. You can even bet on the competition, and this is one of the best ways to watch. By finding the most popular esports betting sites, you are able to place a stake in a variety of esports teams. Twelve of the teams involved in TI are directly invited, and the other 6 gain entry through winning various regional brackets. The prize pool is crowdfunded and has increased every single year. The prize pool for the 2019 edition was over $34 million, which shows the huge financial incentive that this tournament offers.
Who is OG?
OG is a highly respected esports team who specializes in Dota 2; however, there also take part in other games such as Super Smash Bros. They were founded in 2015 and are primarily based in Europe. Some members of the group were already fairly established before they joined.
The Road to Back to Back Championships
The greatest triumph for OG has come in winning the TI in consecutive years. This has gained them huge prestige and led to a massive buzz around the team. The road to back to back TI championships was by no means simple. The team members have described the immense difficulties that they overcame to clinch both championships. The competition was fierce, and there was a unique atmosphere in Shanghai for the 2019 TI. Dota is hugely popular in China, and this led to a fantastic crowd reception. Fans are hugely supportive of teams, and they have a genuine passion, which is built over a prolonged period of time. Winning the competition in 2018 was a huge accomplishment, however retaining it in 2019 truly showed that OG was the cream of the crop. OG were able to maintain themselves at the top by rebuilding. Their hard work and immense sacrifices eventually paid off.
Closing Thoughts
The International is a highly coveted esports tournament, and therefore winning it back to back is a hugely impressive feat. You will now be more informed on how it was accomplished, and the amount of work that the team put in to be successful. OG is an esports team that is clearly on an upward trajectory, and they have a fantastic chance of pulling off three in a row at next year’s TI competition. We estimate that the 2020 iteration of TI will have an even bigger prize pool.
