Event spaces across the country are making accommodations in bids to "capitalize on the rise of arena-packing" e-sports contests, which they "hope will attract a new generation of event-goers -- and with them increased ticket and concession sales," according to Paresh Dave of the L.A. TIMES. Nationwide Arena in Columbus is relaxing a policy by allowing attendees to "freely exit and reenter a game in progress" because fans attending a days worth of matches "aren’t as willing to be held captive -- forced to buy the arena’s food -- as those at a three-hour NHL game." Staples Center plans to have "more signage and ushers since many e-sports fans are first-time patrons." Concessionaire Delaware North "expects to stock up on energy drinks such as Monster and Red Bull, preferred over beer among video game enthusiasts." And the Downtown Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, which hosts weekly amateur tournaments, "has started serving more food on skewers." A recent e-sports event at Nationwide Arena "generated about the same food and beverage sales per attendee for Delaware North as a Blue Jackets hockey game, with increases expected as the menu gets fine-tuned." Fan complaints "have brought experience improvements too." Bean bags became an "alternative to uncomfortable floor seats," and stages got "moved to create better viewing angles." There also is "talk of selling luxury suites packed with computers so fans can game during intermission." Because more venues "want to host e-sports events than there are competitions to go around, promoters could secure additional fan-friendly features." ESL, which is exploring a long-term partnership with AEG, "recently moved its annual West Coast event to AEG-operated Oracle Arena" from the SAP Center. Now the company "plans to push AEG for lower food pricing and permission to have food trucks and booths in the parking lot" (L.A. TIMES, 7/7).
