Reading a roster move

A roster move is the most-watched event in the analyst desk's week. A confirmed signing or departure shifts the team's map pool, the IGL dialogue, and the format story of the next month. The desk reads every confirmed move within an hour of the official announcement and updates the team page accordingly.

The first thing the desk reads in a roster move is the role. The role is the position the new player is filling — entry duelist, operator, support, lurker, IGL. The desk reads the role as the most important piece of information in a signing, because the role determines what the team is trying to change.

The second thing the desk reads is the map pool. The new player's map pool is the second-most important piece of information, because the map pool determines which maps the team can now play. The desk tracks the new player's map pool and updates the team's map veto accordingly.

The third thing the desk reads is the IGL dialogue. The IGL dialogue is the relationship between the new player and the team's IGL — whether the new player is calling from the front, the back, or supporting the IGL's call. The desk reads the IGL dialogue as the third-most important piece of information, and the standing rule is that the analyst section notes the IGL dialogue for every team in the affected region.

The fourth thing the desk reads is the format story. The format story is the analyst's read on what the move means for the team's bracket story over the next month. The desk reads the format story as the fourth-most important piece of information, and the standing rule is that the analyst section notes the format story for every team in the affected region.

The desk flags any roster move within an hour of the official announcement. The desk's standing rule is that any move is reflected on the team page and on the regional power ranking before the next matchday tips, and the news desk covers the move within the same hour.

The desk's read on a roster move is not a prediction. The desk reads the move, updates the team page, and waits for the next matchday to confirm the read. The standing rule is that the analyst section notes the read and the confirmation status — a read that is confirmed by the next matchday is marked as confirmed; a read that is not confirmed is marked as open.