Major League Gaming — a real, professional video gaming league — has always had a presence in Columbus, and it appears that presence is about to grow.
It was announced today MLG will establish a 14,000-square foot arena in Columbus to host tournaments and other live events.
From GameSpot.com:
The new Arena's first event will be the MLG Call of Duty: Ghosts Pro League Season 3 Playoffs, which run October 24-26. Eight Call of Duty teams will duke it out for $75,000 in prizes; the first-place team will take home $30,000. Spectator passes go on sale this Friday, September 26, through the MLG online store.
MLG's new Arena in Columbus is a 14,000 square foot venue that promises to deliver 'the same exciting experience" as a MLG Pro Circuit event, but in a "more intimate setting." The Arena features bleacher seating capable of suppporting "hundreds" of people, as well as soundproof booths for players, a broadcast platform for live commentary, video screens that broadcase the competition, and even warm-up areas for players.
[...]
"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," MLG co-founder and CEO Sundance DiGiovanni said in a statement. "With the MLG Columbus Arena, we now have a flagship venue built to showcase the best as we continue to expand our global footprint."
Video gaming as a spectator sport is witnessing insane growth at the moment, so don't laugh. This is far from a couple of nerds banging keys in a bar's basement or something like that.
