Would be better if the upper bracket winner would just get a map-pick advantage.

Usually WB advantages make anticlimactic finals ;_;

[...] Exactly. As for the legitimacy of this approach - if you won the Upper Bracket that kind of already qualifies you as a serious contender for the title. The same system was used in Grand Finals in Dota at International 2014 (or 2013, can't exactly recall) and it worked fine.

[...] Not 2-2. "wouldn’t be more than 4 maps in total", so the longest outcome would be 4 maps with the result of 3-2 or 2-3.

[...] I really don't think 2-2 and crowning the upperbracket winner as the world champion seems legit...

If you dont like sideshow casting or sideshow casting in a box, or drunk sideshow casting, you could always listen to drunk sideshow casting in box.

[...] BO5 with Upper Bracket winner having 1 map advantage perhaps? This way Grand Finals would start with Upper Bracket winner leading 1-0 and only having to win two maps to be crowned champions (just like in BO3) but there wouldn't be more than 4 maps in total.

I'm going to post a more formal schedule soon, but I don't really want to condense things back... the consolation finals will be on Sunday morning (11 am), which is a BO3. There's a nice gap on Saturday evening instead which is free for two reasons: pub quiz, and for the potential lower finalists to have a large rest and a bit of free time. Of course, the real benefit of having this freedom is being able to have a later final to make it easier for spectators. I'd like to capitalise on that a little bit, even if we can't push it right back into peak time. I am fairly hopeful that we can get a BO5 in, but it will depend on what teams do get through so it will be up in the air for quite a while. Even if we can't formally do a BO5 we may well be able to get at least another map in for hype and enjoyment.