Las Vegas beefs up eSports inventory

It was a big week for Las Vegas in the eSports world as DreamHack, MLG and ELeague locked in dates for new events in the city, cementing its role as an eSports hub. DreamHack became the latest org to plant roots, announcing on Wednesday a continuation of its Masters series via a 16-team event taking place in the city from Feb. 15-19, 2017. This joins the MLG Las Vegas festivities just announced for Dec. 16-18, as well as the perennial EVO and a slate of other eSports events that call the city home.

DreamHack’s plans will dangle a $450,000 prize pool with the tournament taking place at the MGM Grand. The initial group stage will be held live on the casino floor from Feb 15-17, while the top eight teams will battle it out at the MGM Grand Garden Arena from Feb 18-19, with the top team taking home a cool $200,000 prize.

“Las Vegas is a hugely exciting destination, and we’re excited to in partnership with MGM Grand to make a huge splash,” said Marcus Lindmark, President & CEO of DreamHack AB. “Visitors can expect the best atmosphere possible, and we’ll be sure to capture all of this for the viewers online. CS:GO is best played live and on-stage, and that’s the experience we’re looking to focus on!”

Major League Gaming hits the city with a holiday play from Dec. 16-18, in Las Vegas, announcing MLG Las Vegas from Dec. 16-18. The event will serve as a festival and fan experience that takes place at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. The event will play host to the first North American Regional of the Call of Duty World League as well as serve as an Overwatch Invitational. In addition, the festivities will include End Game, a celebration featuring interactive experiences, surprise musical performances and opportunities for content creators throughout the weekend.

The MLG event will shape a weekend in the Nevada city that also includes international eSports tournament Collegiate Colosseum: North America, which sees more than 100 universities battling for over $100,000 in scholarships and prizing across top titles including Overwatch, League of Legends, Hearthstone, Super Smash Brothers 4 & Super Smash Brothers Melee. The event takes place at the Rio Las Vegas that weekend, while the monthly Battle on the Strip will also take place that weekend at SLS Las Vegas, blending pro teams with amateurs.

“That weekend in December will be very exciting for an eSports fan, whether you like Call of Duty, Smash, Overwatch or games in general,” said JonMichael Bukocky, CEO and Founder of UltimateMedia Ventures, which launched the Battle on the Strip. “Fans will have so many choices to enjoy all up and down the strip, cementing Las Vegas as an eSports hub and we looks forward to continuing to help it grow.”

The very next month, Turner Sports is returns to CES 2017 in Las Vegas once again with its Sports Business Innovation at CES Presented by Turner Sports event on Jan. 5. ELeague will be heavily involved in the festivities, presenting a live studio show previewing the ELeague Major that will be held later in the month. In addition, as part of the overall Turner Sports footprint at CES, ELeague will partner with the FIA Formula E Championship for its Las Vegas eRace on Jan. 7. The virtual race, including a specially designed track incorporating the famous Las Vegas Strip, will feature all 20 Formula E drivers and 10 fans from across the world competing for a share of a $1 million dollar prize pool.

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