Over the past few years, Major League Gaming has grown from a small operation to an important and recognized part of the gaming world. MLG has provided thousands of gamers the opportunity to compete against the best players of numerous high profile titles.
Last August, Raleigh was host to its first MLG event. The event was also the fiftieth event overall for MLG , and the spectator and competitor turnout proved worthy of those two landmarks, enough for MLG to return to Raleigh again this year.
Adam Apicella , senior vice president of League Operations and Production for Major League Gaming, said that the decision to return to Raleigh was helped by the city‘s desire to host again.
“We developed a mutual understanding with Raleigh,” Apicella said. “After last year’s event, the economic impact on the area had Raleigh ready to bring us back. It was great for local revenue.”
Not only was the event a positive for the local community, but it also proved a success for MLG .
“Raleigh was a safe, clean area for both competitors and spectators alike,” Apicella said. “The city fit the event well, and it was kind of a no-brainer to work together again.”
While last year’s event was a modest success, Apicella felt that more could be done to reach out to the community and raise awareness about MLG . While there are always diehard fans willing to travel great distances to events, there’s also an importance in developing local interest.
“One thing we can definitely do a better job of is attracting an audience,” Apicella said. “Reaching local college students is certainly a large aspect of that.”
Though MLG averages about one event each month, there is often much less time devoted to unpacking and set up in each city. On average, set up begins on the Tuesday morning before an event and continues for three days, up until doors open that Friday.
One of the most important aspects of the set up process is the creation of a full television production suite. MLG streams its events to the Internet, and it requires a great deal of dedication and work to keep things running smoothly through the weekend.
“It’s basically setting up a TV studio and a venue for 2000 to 3000 people at each location,” Apicella said. “We build a full broadcast suite in the back, and essentially produce four live TV shows in HD from the show floor.”
Apicella feels that the production is something people need to see in person before they understand just how much work is put into each event. Hundreds of competitors play in the Halo tournament alone, requiring numerous administrators and referees to watch over and coordinate each match.
Another factor for returning spectators to consider is the evolution of the show floor from last year’s event. While Halo 3 was the only title on the big screen last time, things have grown considerably this year. Halo: Reach, Call of Duty: Black Ops, and StarCraft II will all have their own dedicated stage, with enough seating to make sure spectators will always have several viewing options.
“Even midseason this year,” Apicella said, “we’ve continued to see a gigantic growth in the number of spectators. As such, we’re working to make sure there is always something for guests to enjoy, so they aren’t just standing around waiting for something to happen. Boredom is what we are trying to fight.”
Even beyond the main stages, this year’s MLG event is packed with means to keep people interested all weekend long.
“It’s 25 dollars for a pass,” Apicella said, “and that gets you in for all three days,. During that time, there’ll be autograph sessions, free Dr. Pepper, and other types of things. For fans of StarCraft , some of the best from the Korean league are going to be playing. It’s just a cool experience for anyone who’s a fan of gaming.”
Gaming fans looking to enjoy the competition and atmosphere of MLG should be ready to have a great time. MLG Raleigh takes place this weekend, August 26 through 28, at the Raleigh Convention Center.
