Who does Rift Rivals benefit?
If you were expecting a discussion about bragging rights for teams or a region, that is not this topic. Instead, let's consider the impact of a mini-tournament in the middle of a split. First, is this good for the teams involved? Maybe not, because the flight, jet lag, and the clash of different metas can't really help them feel like they are building on what work they have been doing for the Split. Well, maybe winning the event could be a morale boost for that team. If a team falls flat mid split in an international showdown, that could set their morale back as well.
The real winners have to be the teams not involved. They have an extra week to playtest, scrim, watch tape, get to see extra games and strategy from competitors, and take a little extra time off to unwind. I think this most benefits CLG and IMT, one able to work at keeping their lead, the other have extra time to rebound from a bad week.