Esports tournament brings gaming fans, economic impact to Raleigh
One of the biggest e-sports competitions in the country just wrapped up it’s spring finals championship.
The League Championship Spring Finals wrapped its tournament Sunday at PNC Arena, bringing over 8,000 fans to the arena.
The event drew thousands to Raleigh for the weekend filling hotel rooms and producing an estimated economic impact of around $1.6 million.
This was the second straight day PNC Arena was filled with fans from the gaming community, and it’s the second time PNC Arena has hosted an esports competition of this size. VisitRaleigh estimates about 70% of these fans came from out of state booking well over 3 thousand hotel rooms.
Some fans came from as far as Washington state and Canada and almost all of them say the trip was well worth it.
"A whole day of flying just to be here," said Matthew Gonsalves. "It's super exciting."
"It's been a fun city," said Brady Potter, who came from Canada to watch the tournament. "Its really nice, I'm glad I came."
From fireworks, to dramatic team entrances to thousands of screaming fans, the finals looked just like any sporting event many of us have been to.
“I got here and saw the entire arena full of fans" said Jason Liang-Lin, a fan in attendance. "I'm just like 'Oh, my goodness! This is so amazing!'”
The only difference is the battle is virtual. Teams of five played against one another on connected computers in a best-of-five series.
“The second I walked into the arena, I saw that everyone just has the same passion as me," Liang-Lin said.
Throughout the games, fans cheered and made noise with boom sticks, as the tournament favorite, Cloud 9, defeated the Golden Guardians, three games to one, lifting the LCS trophy afterwards.
"To be at my very first event and to have this wonderful aura of everyone so excited by the games, it's been thrilling, it's been so wonderful," Liang-Lin said.
