Triangle area becomes hub for esports

Twelve teams will compete for $1 million in prizes during the ESL One Raleigh event at Raleigh Convention Center.
Posted 4/11/2025, 5:13:00 PM Updated 4/12/2025, 12:58:05 PM

THIS FRIDAY AT HARRIS TEETER.

>> A HUGE E-SPORTS TOURNAMENT

IS UNDERWAY IN RALEIGH RIGHT

NOW. YEAH, I'M TALKING ABOUT

VIDEO GAMES. THOUSANDS OF

GAMERS ARE IN TOWN COMPETING

FOR 1 MILLION DOLLAR PRIZE

POOL. VIDEO GAMES HAVE COME A

LONG WAY SINCE THE DAYS OF

$0.25 PAC MAN. AND IT'S ONLY

GETTING BIGGER RIGHT NOW.

E-SPORTS REVENUE WORLDWIDE IS A

LITTLE OVER A BILLION DOLLARS.

BUT SOME ANALYSTS ARE SHOWING

THAT BY 2029, IT COULD BE

NEARLY 6 BILLION DOLLARS.

THAT'S JUST A FEW 100 MILLION

SHORT OF THE NHL. AND THIS IS

WHY CITY LEADERS IN RALEIGH

WANT THIS CITY TO BE AN

AMERICAN E-SPORTS HUB. HERE'S

WRAL'S DESTINY. PATTERSON.

>> I TALKED TO PEOPLE COMING

FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO BE

HERE AT THE RALEIGH CONVENTION

CENTER. 3,000 PEOPLE FILLING

THIS ROUTE TO SEE THAT THE S L

ONE TOURNAMENT SEE THE MESS OF

THE BEST GUY FOR MILLION

>> INSTEAD OF CHEERING AROUND

IN THE STANDS ARE LOCKED IN

ON THESE SCREENS TO LAKELAND

RIGHT HERE IN RALEIGH. THINK OF

OF THE VIDEO CHESS, 12 OF THE

BEST DOTA 2 TEAMS. I'M A REALLY

BIG DONUTS FAN. WE ALL LOOK

PRETTY MUCH RINSE GOING DO

PLAYING FOR US AND THEN HAVING

THAT LIVE FEELS LIKE YOU'RE

WATCHING A SPORT. WE'LL THE

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE

RALLY TOURISM BUREAU SAYS THIS

SWEEPS TOURNAMENT IS EXPECTED

TO BRING IN ABOUT 2 TO 2.5

MILLION DOLLARS IN ECONOMIC

IMPACT. WHY RALEIGH, THIS

EVENT, THIS ESL, ONE OF THAT

HAS NOT BEEN IN THE U.S. IN 10

YEARS. SO IT'S A BIG GET FOR

US. ONE TO GET IT BACK TO THE

U.S. TO TO GET IT TO RALLY.

THIS TOURNAMENT WAS PREVIOUSLY

HELD IN SINGAPORE, THAILAND AND

THE UK. THIS IS A VERY BIG DEAL

AND HOPEFULLY WE SEE MORE NORTH

AMERICAN TOURNAMENTS. COMING

UP, WE'RE COMPETING WASHINGTON,

D.C., ATLANTA, GEORGIA,

ARLINGTON, TEXAS, REALLY

SOUTHWEST SOUTHEAST

>> GLOBAL E-SPORTS HUBS.

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA IS ONE

OF THE RALLY THE RIGHT CHEEK.

KIDS GAMING COMPANIES LIKE EPIC

GAMES IN COLLEGE IS INVESTED

IN A GROWING SPORT, INCLUDING

WAKE TECH NC STATE AND WILLIAM

PEACE UNIVERSITY TRYING TO

BRING TALENT AND KEEP IT IN OUR

BACKYARD. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO

PLAY THE GAMES IN COLLEGE, I

WAS ABLE TO LIKE THERE'S A NEW

ENVIRONMENT FOR A NEW

ENVIRONMENT THAT NOW INCLUDES

RALLY. THE CITY OF OAKS WILL

HOST 2 OTHER MAJOR TOURNAMENTS

© WRAL