Major overhaul allegedly coming to DPC after TI10

Rumors have emerged on LiquidDota regarding significant changes to the Dota 2 Pro Circuit. These changes, if right, will see the removal of Minors, a reduction in the number of Majors, and a new regional league, which will all begin in the 2020/2021 season.  

Valve's dedication to improving the DPC hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. Not all fans agree with the developer's decisions since 2017, but the constant change the DPC has undergone proves their commitment. We see more of the same now with a rumor which claims that Valve recently held a meeting with team representatives at their Seattle headquarters.  

Here are the major revelations from the meeting: 

Regional leagues

Valve will be introducing regional leagues to the DPC. The regions will remain as they currently are, with CIS, Europe, North America, South America, Southeast Asia, and China all represented. However, the number of teams to participate, prize pool, and DPC points available are unknown.  

Fewer Majors

The DPC will have only three Majors instead of the current five. The downtime in between will be filled by the regional leagues, while league performance will determine the teams that participate.

No Minors

DPC Minors will be dropped entirely. Valve plans to remove from the competitive season, with the regional leagues being the sole way for teams to qualify for each Major.  

Two tiers 

The regional leagues will have a two-tier structure, with the best teams in Tier 1 and others in Tier 2. As a result, new teams will have to work their way up from Tier 2 to Tier 1 and then the Majors.  

Promotion & relegation

The top two teams of Tier 2 will be promoted to Tier 1, while the two lowest-performing Tier 1 teams will be relegated to Tier 2. Additionally, the lowest two teams in Tier 2 will automatically leave the league and will have to win the open qualifier events to make their way back into the league.  

Region lock

The regional leagues will have a "soft" region lock, meaning that if a Tier 1 team switches from region A to B, they forfeit their league position. They will have to compete in region B's open qualifier to secure a spot in the region's Tier 2 league before working their way back up. 

These leagues will begin as online events but could take on a LAN format with time. Valve's goal with this overhaul is to provide new teams with better opportunities to climb their way to the top while also giving established organizations some stability for their efforts.  

As detailed as this rumor is, there are still several unknowns to consider. There's no mention of how teams will qualify for Tier 1, but the highest placing teams from The International 2020 will likely be the ones to make it. There's also the question of how Valve will handle roster moves, prize money, and DPC points.  

Opinions on the alleged changes are divided, but it's clear that these changes will help elevate smaller teams without taking any attention away from their more successful counterparts. Be sure to temper your expectations as this is still a rumor for now, but according to Vitalii "v1lat" Volochai and a few other personalities, this is definitely in the works.