6 Key Traits of an Ideal Esports Event Destination
Location, location, location
An event’s location is pivotal to its overall success. What’s more, destinations are sometimes deemed ideal based on their status as a travel hub or even their time zone. East Coast cities, for example, are favorable for the Eastern Time Zone – optimal for reaching European and Asian livestream markets. As an additional advantage, metro areas like Raleigh, N.C., are easily accessible by various modes of transportation.
Technology expertise and infrastructure
Beyond venues with ample square footage and room configurations, ideal destinations possess the technology expertise to help an event run smoothly. Being able to provide assurances for things like bandwidth capacity and redundancy of networks gives a destination a leg up in the decision process. Greater Raleigh, with its esports-ready venues routinely scouted by global production professionals, is a prime example of this.
An online audience will lose interest quickly if the streaming coverage is going in and out.
Strong commitment to event safety
Given the expanding impact of COVID-19, prime event destinations will have strong protocols in place to help keep athletes, teams and audience members safe. Currently, esports is shifting from live events to online and livestream formats. Some leagues are even consolidating players at regionally based hosting sites for greater efficiency. As a result, these locations are stepping up safety protocols and will ultimately become destinations of choice when live events bounce back.
The Raleigh area was recently tapped to be the regional base for players competing in the PUBG MOBILE™ PRO League. In addition to ensuring heightened, onsite safety protocols, the Greater Raleigh Esports Local Organizing Committee (GRELOC) also facilitated the provision of Medical Concierge Service to all visiting esports professionals.
The health, wellness and safety of each player is a top priority. We’re excited to build the framework for how host cities [can] offer a holistic approach to [athlete care].
An energized fan base
An active local community of gamers and gaming enthusiasts ensures both robust live and online event participation and viewership. What’s more, community enthusiasm drives motivation for local businesses and governments to champion and support esports events and activities in an effort to drive employee rates and population growth.
Greater Raleigh, as an example again, has a higher than average percentage of residents, employees, and industry innovators like Epic Games and Ubisoft. Also, civic, sports and industry leaders are working together as part of GRELOC and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA) to position the metro area as a global leader in esports.
Employment and educational opportunities
Providing development and career opportunities to the esports community is yet another hallmark of a great event destination. Centers of technology and game design are constantly on the lookout for bright minds and talented individuals who will ultimately enhance and propel the esports ecosystem.
At the R6 Raleigh Major, a 2019 Rainbow Six Siege® esports event, attendees and participants were given the chance to network with Ubisoft, one of five major gaming publishers and employers with a presence in the Raleigh area. Additionally, young gamers and fans were exposed to game development and simulation programs at North Carolina State University, Wake Technical Community College, William Peace University and Wake County Public Schools.
Proven experience
Finally, proven track records speak volumes about a destination’s commitment to and expertise in hosting esports events. That’s not to say destinations new to the esports space aren’t capable of pulling off a successful event. Taking a risk and going with a novice location can mean greater flexibility in realizing an event as well as closer working relationships with select venues and CVBs.
Some locations have the best of both worlds: experience and novelty. Greater Raleigh for one, has the experience of hosting large scale events, but is also on the rise as an esports destination of choice. For places like these, event hosting is a priority, and local entities are eager to create an ecosystem that fully supports what organizers are looking to accomplish.
Find out more about the esports ecosystem in Raleigh and how your upcoming event fits right in.
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