So I read through the entire thread in one sitting...
I can see what most peoples viewpoint is on what the future holds for tf2, but either way I still cannot see myself ever playing in esea ever again and I was planning on returning to tf2 after my current school semester ends in December. I think even if the competition takes a hit from people refusing to play in cevo, the scene will still continue to live on. I mean, I could personally still see myself playing tf2 even if there were no leagues at all, but I think people still should take a chance by signing up for cevo next season to at least try to make a difference.
I can't say anything about the lan situation, since I have never been to a single lan in my life, so the only thing I can relate it to is fighting game tournaments (which I have flown out for). I'm of the opinion that if enough people switch to cevo, then plans can be arranged in the future to expand the league, which would eventually mean putting out a pay-to-play league (through cevo) and gathering funds together to figure out how to make it work. I've been part of many communities, and that includes the smash community which had people that were under 30 running huge events of over 200 people flying out from everywhere. Some people flew/drove to these events with their CRT TVs, which I find comparable to bringing a PC to lan (plus being 50 lbs heavier). What I'm saying is that if cevo grows to the point where its comparable to the esea numbers, I'm sure the people behind cevo wouldn't be against the idea of putting together lan arrangements in the future.
Comparing things in the past doesn't work in this formula because this would be a drastic change from the past. Slin and a few others keeps bringing up about how European/OZfortress tf2 is dead, but it doesn't have to be like that. I am a firm believer that the competition will not die if you play in cevo, and I think it is absolutely ridiculous that people think the game will die just because there is no lan. As long as people keep their drive of becoming better players, I don't think the competition will ever die, and that's the thing that people are underestimating.
Even if people continue to play in esea, I still think there should be a league that can challenge esea to do a lot better than what they currently give to us as players and competitors using their services, and I strongly feel that cevo is the answer to that calling.