Australian Counter-Strike 2 team Rooster took over the ESL Pro League Season 22 broadcast during the event’s fourth day following its early exit from the competition.
The team’s surprise appearance was announced after ESL cited “talent illness” as the reason behind the team’s broadcast debut.
Before the opening match between GamerLegion and B8 began, Rooster presented the opening segments of the show, along with reminiscing about its previous Pro League appearances, with a closer look at its memorable chokes.
In addition to appearing in the studio, players conducted pre-game interviews with B8 in-game leader Andrii ‘npl‘ Kukharskyi and GamerLegion rifler Erik ‘ztr‘ Gustafsson. Rooster players also got involved in the production gallery, offering fans a behind-the-scenes look at tournament operations.
After GamerLegion won Ancient, the trio of Jason ‘Moses‘ O’Toole, Henry ‘HenryG‘ Greer, and Hugo Byron took over for map two, all but confirming that Rooster’s appearance was a humorous sketch.
Rooster became one of the first teams eliminated from ESL Pro League Season 22, after failing to win any of its three Stage 1 matches.
Community Reaction
During Rooster’s broadcast debut, the reaction of viewers watching the action was resoundingly positive. “I like the cast,” commented one fan. “Just some dudes talking about the game. It’s chill, fun and easy to listen to. It fits EPL’s more relaxed format.”
“Can we get more of these guys in the future? They’re hilarious,” added another viewer.
It’s unclear if Rooster will appear on future Pro League broadcasts. Based on the feedback from viewers, the temporary appearance of a team instead of the regular talent was a success.
October 1st, 2025, is the penultimate day of ESL Pro League Season 22’s first stage, with teams continuing to battle it out for a place in Stage 2. So far, HOTU, Inner Circle Esports, and GamerLegion have earned a place in the next phase of the tournament.
