Professional video game competitions (also known as eSports) have become a huge global business. Reports indicate that in-person and virtual viewership of tournaments surpassed 71 million in 2013, with over $25 million in prize money distributed that same year. Players battle regularly in popular games such as StarCraft II, League of Legends, and of course… Dota 2.
Columbus is no stranger to the world of competitive gaming, having hosted Major League Gaming (MLG) tournaments in the past, and this fall, MLG is looking to make their presence a more permanent one by opening a year-round dedicated facility near Easton.
“Columbus has hosted some of our most successful events to date,” said Adam Apicella, EVP at MLG Properties. “With 62 colleges in the Columbus region, hundreds of thousands of university and high school students in the 11-county area, and close proximity to our audience on the East Coast, Columbus is a great location for our MLG.tv Arena. We look forward to hosting the best players in the world and continuing to collaborate with the passionate community at OSU and their eSports initiative – ESI, as well as those throughout Ohio and beyond.”
The 14,000 square foot venue is the first outside of New York City, and will feature bleacher seating, sound-proof booths for players, a broadcast platform for commentators, and large screens for broadcasting the events. The Arena is scheduled to open in time to host the MLG Call of Duty: Ghosts Pro League Season 3 Playoffs from October 24-26. Spectator passes for that event go on sale this Friday, and the top eight CoD teams will compete for $75,000 in prizes.
“MLG’s mission is to promote eSports globally through premier competition and to deliver premium gaming content to viewers anytime, anywhere through our global streaming platform – MLG.tv,” said Sundance DiGiovanni, MLG Co-Founder and CEO. “With the MLG.tv Columbus Arena, we now have a flagship venue built to showcase the best as we continue to expand our global footprint.”
For more information, visit www.majorleaguegaming.com.
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