BLAST.tv Austin Major sets viewership record for Counter-Strike in the United States
The playoffs at BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 had barely kicked off when the tournament smashed a major viewership milestone. During the very first elimination match, the event peaked at 1.4 million concurrent viewers, officially becoming the most popular Counter-Strike tournament ever held on American soil. We anticipated this could happen under the right conditions, but didn't expect it so soon.
The Moody Center was packed as fans witnessed the first two playoff matches unfold. The opening clash featured defending champions Team Spirit going head-to-head with a hungry MOUZ roster. It was during this electrifying showdown that the viewership record was broken. The match delivered everything fans could hope for: a high-stakes opener filled with overtimes, and a thrilling decider where MOUZ ultimately triumphed, securing a spot in the Major semifinals for the third time in the organization’s history.
The tournament hit its peak viewership during the first chaotic map of the Spirit vs. MOUZ showdown. From there, a steady decline in numbers followed: no surprise, considering the match stretched late into the night for European fans, who made up the majority of the series’ audience. With the series running past midnight CET, many viewers began to drop off.
The second series of the day, a Brazilian derby between FURIA and paiN Gaming, saw viewership dip further, which was to be expected. The matchup primarily resonated with the teams’ home audiences, though FURIA also drew some attention from CIS fans, thanks to Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis and Danil "molodoy" Golubenko on the roster. This series peaked at just under 700,000 concurrent viewers and delivered a huge storyline: after losing the opening map, paiN rallied to take the next two, earning a semifinal berth in their very first Major playoff appearance.
The playoff action continues today with more high-stakes matchups. First up, Natus Vincere will look to challenge the powerhouse that is Team Vitality. Then it’s time for local favorites FaZe Clan to hit the stage, facing off against the ambitious and fast-rising squad, The MongolZ.
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