There are Esports arenas in Sydney and Melbourne in Australia to play or watch Esports. Esports is fast growing in Australia as already Australian Esports League (AEL) which hosts esports competitions in Australia is attracting competitors from across the nation. Previously the AEL has been responsible for a number of esports competitions across a broad range of titles such as Dota 2, CS: GO, Rocket League, StarCraft 2, League of Legends, and Overwatch. These competitions have featured both online and at live events attracting hundreds of competitors. The two main Esports venues to watch and play are in Sydney and Melbourne.
Sydney State Theatre
Esports Arena in Melbourne and Sydney
A few years back the very first esports arena started in Sydney and Australia’s first-ever city-based club esports league event to host Elite Series. This complex, earlier a movie theatre, become an esports arena. In place of the theatre’s screen sits a large stage on which two huge LED screens stand.
This place in Sydney is thus the permanent venue for the sole purpose of hosting gaming events. The growth of esports over the past decade has been staggering, the product of the rapid advancements in technology, its convergence with entertainment, and a generation raised with Xbox and PlayStation controllers wedded to their hands.
Following this event, there were six clubs that competed in the league and tested their mettle in three of the sport’s most popular games: Street Fighter, Counter-Strike, Global Offensive, and Rocket League. Aimed at a millennial audience and shown primarily on Twitch TV, where fans engage with gamers, make micro-donations, and comment on the action.
Esports games in Australia broadcasts online on twitch.tv/Xfinity and on free-to-air TV channel One.
Melbourne & Olympic Park
Melbourne hosts a major live esports event across some of the city’s biggest sporting arenas; as the Victorian government pushes to solidify the state’s place as Australia’s home of video games. The Melbourne Esports Open will take place this month September, during a bye week ahead of the AFL finals. Taking place at Melbourne & Olympic Park; the weekend-long event is the product of conjunction with TEG Live and international esports juggernaut ESL. The esports event will be the biggest in the country, attracting talent and fans from around the world. It expects 10,000 people to attend each day.
The Melbourne Esports Open is a massive scalp for Victoria; tapping into one of the world’s most popular sectors of the sports and entertainment industry. It takes place over multiple days; and in multiple arenas including Rod Laver, Margaret Court; and the Melbourne Park Function Centre, which would seem to indicate multiple tournaments.
League of Legends would seem to be a likely fit with the Oceanic Pro League potentially utilizing the event to stage its finals and CS: GO is also a possibility as one of Australia’s most popular esports. The organizers would also likely look at Overwatch; which is played at an international level in a league controlled by the game’s developer Blizzard; and perhaps more viewer-friendly games like Rocket League.
Melbourne Esports Open generate up to $25 million
As per an estimation Melbourne Esports Open it generates “up to $25 million” for the Victorian economy over five years. Its partnership with TEG Live and ESL.
This year has already seen substantial growth in local esports tournaments and events held in Australia. The Gfinity Elite Series sees city-based teams play CS: GO, Rocket League, and Street Fighter V on a weekly schedule. This event is partnered with Hoyts cinemas to turn movie theatres into live esports arenas. The matches are also broadcast live on Twitch, with the Rocket League matches also appearing live on Network Ten.
Currently, Australia’s biggest annual esports event is IEM Sydney; which fills Qudos Bank Arena and has at its center a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament with a $310,000 prize pool. Sydney also hosted its first international esports tournament as League of Legends teams from Southeast Asia and Japan. Visit the city to take on Australia’s best in the second installment of Rift Rivals.
