Last December, the official CN hots website updated an overview of 2017 CN HGC, but removed it afterwards, saying they were making some changes.
(info from the removed page: http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1spechs )

Recently, they announced a new version which includes an additional fourth phase to provide more incomes for the players.

The following are the details of the latest 2017 CN HGC Overview.
(I've read through the source page many times to make sure I've figured it out.
That said, if there are any mistakes or misleading info, please inform me. )
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Source: http://heroes.blizzard.cn/article/esports/5837

1. General Introduction

There will be four phases for 2017 CN HGC, including three seasons of Gold League(Spring, Summer, Fall) and Gold League 2017 Grand Finals.

In each phase, every team will receive 150,000 CNY regardless of the standings.
Totally 4,800,000 CNY will be committed this year in player compensation.
In addition, all the teams can earn bonus awards for each game won in all three seasons of Gold League.
Top finishers of each season will qualify for international competitions,
while the 7th/8th places will have to play relegation match against teams from open qualifiers.
Top 6 will qualify for next season.

The first season of Gold League, the Spring season, starts in April.
All 6 teams competing in the ongoing Gold League 2016 Grand Finals automatically qualify for this phase. 2 last spots will be determined through online qualifier.
Top 3 finishers of Gold League 2016 Grand Finals will also qualify for the first Eastern Clash in March.

2. Overview of each phase

•Phase 1: Gold League 2017 - Spring(April)
8 teams, 6 from Gold League 2016 Grand Finals, 2 from online qualifier
- Top 2 qualify for Mid-season Brawl in May
- Top 6 qualify for Summer season
- 7th/8th to face relegation match
- each team will receive 150,000 CNY regardless of the standings
- All teams will earn bonus awards for each game won

•Phase 2: Gold League 2017 - Summer(June)
8 teams, 6 from Spring season, 2 from relegation match
- Top 3 qualify for the second Eastern Clash in July
- Top 6 qualify for Fall season
- 7th/8th to face relegation match
- each team will receive 150,000 CNY regardless of the standings
- All teams will earn bonus awards for each game won

•Phase 3: Gold League 2017 - Fall(September)
8 teams, 6 from Summer season, 2 from relegation match
- Top ? qualify for Blizzcon in November
- each team will receive 150,000 CNY regardless of the standings
- All teams will earn bonus awards for each game won

•Phase 4: Gold League 2017 Grand Finals
8 teams
- each team will receive 150,000 CNY regardless of the standings
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Below are the info yet to be confirmed as well as some of my thoughts.

•Date, format, and more
As of now, there are no details about the tournament format, including how the relegation match and open qualifier for each season will work.
The exact date of each season isn't announced either.
It's only clear that it won't take more than a month to conclude a season.
Additionally, there's nearly no info about the final phase - Gold League 2017 Grand Finals.
Date, how to qualify, extra prize pool, and the connection between phase 3 and phase 4 are all yet to be confirmed.
Finally, although in the previous version which has been removed, it said top 2 finishers of Fall season will qualify for Blizzcon, the latest version does not include this info. In the meantime, Blizzard also hasn't revealed how many teams will be competing at Blizzcon this year. Is there a chance for every big region to have 3 spots and hence totally 16 teams at Blizzcon? Not likely but could be.

•Online or offline?
Despite offline being more likely,
it's not yet announced if the 3 Gold League seasons this year will be online or offline.
For them to be online tournaments isn't necessarily bad, since half of the participating teams will be amateur. Some of the members might have jobs and families to take care of in their hometowns so they might not be able to stay too long in Shanghai where offline events are usually held. In this case, online tournament would be better for them.


•Compensation also for Gold League 2016 Grand Finals?
http://i.imgur.com/aw98UUT.jpg
The picture above shows the teams, the playoffs format(BO3 double elimination, BO5 Finals) and the prize pool(570,000 CNY in total, winner takes 200,000 CNY) of the ongoing Gold League 2016 Grand Finals.
It's also mentioned that the Top 3 finishers will qualify for the first Eastern Clash.
However, what really drew my attention was that it says every team will also receive 150,000 CNY besides the prize pool.
After thinking about it for a while, I realized since all these teams are participating in Spring season, it's most likely the 150,000 here refers to this phase.
That said, it would be really great to have more incomes for the players.

Overall, I really hope they can make announcements more transparent and sooner so that people won't have to guess.

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