Blizzard open esports arena in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is becoming a hot bed of sporting activity of late. Multiple NFL franchises are now heading to the city while stadiums are being built and funded. The world of esports is no exception, with Riot Games having already set up an esports arena and independent Esports Arena with one site in the Santa Ana area and another under construction in Oakland. Now it’s time for Blizzard to join the party.

Blizzard’s new esports arena, named the Blizzard Arena Los Angeles, is situated in Burbank Studios and will open on October 7th. Blizzard esports events will be broadcast from there but there is no word on the capacity of the arena.

Blizzard plans to hold Overwatch tournaments there with the Overwatch Contenders Season One Playoffs opening the arena on October 7th and the Hearthstone Championship summer tour concluding on the weeked of October 13th. In future, Heroes of the Storm and World of Warcraft Arena competitions will take place at the venue with the finals still being held at BlizzCon in Anaheim.

“We’re at a tipping point for esports and we look forward to helping usher in a new era of competition-based entertainment,” said CEO and co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment, Mike Morhaime. “As we open the doors of Blizzard Arena Los Angeles and welcome fans from around the world, we’re honoured to bring the best in Blizzard esports to the same stage that some of the biggest names in entertainment have called home.”

The new arena will also double as a shopping space with a retail store that will rotate stock depending on the game being played in the arena at the time.