Originally modeled after successful South Korean professional StarCraft leagues, it was founded in 2011 by Russell Pfister and Duncan Stewart.

Mark K. Brown, including Eizo Nanao Technologies, Kingston HyperX, and iBUYPOWER,[4] Although StarCraft games are one-on-one, head-to-head matches, players are typically sponsored and represented by teams.

The finals consisted of a sixteen-person play-off with the tournament winner receiving $50,000 US out of a total $100,000 US, a record prize pool amount at the time.

After nine weeks of play and a playoff bracket, along with an open qualifier tournament, the Grand Finals of the first season took place July 8–10, 2011 in Ontario, California.

The returning champion from season one, Lee "PuMa" Ho Joon from Evil Geniuses battled it out against Song "HerO" Hyeon Deok from Team Liquid in a best of seven series.

[citation needed] Season 3 of the North American Star League began on April 11, 2012, and consisted of 45 StarCraft players divided into 5 divisions.

[7] Season 4 of the North American Star League began on September 12, 2012, and consisted of 45 StarCraft players divided into 5 divisions.