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The original was posted on /r/dota2 by /u/Morgn_Ladimore on 2025-07-02 07:41:24+00:00.

Some of you might not agree with me but man, Riyadh Masters used to really mean something.

Year after year, we see the prizepool drop. I remember when it used to be a staggering 15 million. 15 million! It was almost enough to make me forget about the fact that the tournament is run by a brutally oppressive regime that imprisons and executes dissenting individuals. While watching those epic games, I barely thought about that journalist they killed on embassy ground and chopped up into little pieces with bone saws.

From 15 million at its peak, to a measly 3 million this year. 3 million. What a joke. That’s not nearly enough money for me to ignore the fact that the Saudi government very recently executed a journalist for criticizing the regime. Or that they sentenced a female fitness instructor to 11 years in prison for advocating for women’s rights. Or that they imprisoned a teacher for years for writing a blog critical of the royal family. Or that much of their wealth is built on a foundation of brutal slave labour.

You can also tell it has lost that old-school human rights violating charm because teams aren’t even bothering to put out vapid statements anymore about how they really care about progressive ideals, but will still attend because money. Where is the hypocrisy? The virtue signalling? This is not the Riyadh Masters I fell in love with. It feels like they don’t even care about sportswashing anymore.

I don’t know, I guess I’m just…disappointed? We’re not even important enough to pander to anymore. Maybe the pro scene really is dying, like all those innocent people locked up in Saudi prisons on trumped up charges.

Not sure I’ll even watch this year.