The MCM Expo Group has today announced the addition of a dedicated esports arena at their upcoming show, MCM London Comic Con. Operated in partnership with the world’s largest esports company ESL, it will feature the UK’s best teams for League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, as they battle it out for £12,000.
The event builds on the foundations laid down by ESL during 2014. Last year saw significant growth in both viewership and tournament participation, with two ESL tournaments taking place in London in May and October. “We have witnessed a great synergy between pop culture and the new generation of gamers, both audiences understood and enjoyed esports, which lead to record live attendances for UK esports in 2014â€, explained Peter Mather, Community Manager for ESL UK.
ESL invested heavily in the UK’s esports scene at the start of 2015, when it announced the ESL UK Premiership, its flagship national product designed purely for UK teams and talent. Since launch, the tournament has attracted over a quarter of a million online spectators, and saw over close to 1,000 UK gamers take part.
“The soaring popularity of esports in recent years speaks for itself,” said MCM show organiser Bryan Cooney. “Our visitors want to enjoy top quality esports live at our events — and what better way to deliver this than through our partnership with industry leaders ESL?”
The UK’s top eight esports teams will travel to MCM London Comic Con on Friday 22nd May, and will compete over three days for their share of the UK’s largest esports prize pool.