It may seem somewhat of an old fashioned idea, having to actually stand up, put clothes on, brave the outdoors and travel somewhere to watch a sporting event, but many fans swear by the adrenaline and atmosphere you experience watching esports live. Despite Twitch’s best efforts, hundreds of thousands still flock to arenas across the world to see their favourite sports, often decked out in resplendent cosplay for the occasion.

Finding a home

Naturally, where there is demand, there will always be supply, and where there is a billion-dollar demand, the provided supply will be at a considerable level. But is an esports arena all that different from a regular sports arena? Or even a festival layout? Can’t you just put some screens up in your local football stadium, hire some nerds to wire up the the PC’s on the stage and you’re away?

I mean, of course you could, and many have. All you really need is a solid internet connection and a few seats. I mean, the 2015 Call of Duty European Regional Championship was held at London’s Royal Opera House, streets is crazy. However it’s unlikely that esports intellectuals will accept this for much longer, the standard of events are rising as a wave of cutting-edge dedicated esports arenas begin to appear in major cities the world over. So let’s take a look at 3, and what they mean for the culture.

Esports Stadium Arlington - Texas, USA